Silver Sky
by Wabii Sabii
Summary: It's not easy being Momo Yaoyorozu's twin. She's smart, pretty, well liked... in comparison, Ume scrapes by. Luckily, being a hero isn't about being perfect— it's about being your best. Ume will do anything to become the hero she's dreamt of being, even if it means making a few sacrifices along the way.
1. First Light

**Disclaimer:** I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**i. first light**

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* * *

They say there are people who are born lucky.

Fate has a funny way of playing out. There are ups and downs and sometimes lefts and rights, but things always play out in the end. People who are blessed in such a way never have to worry about frivolous things like tomorrow, because whether or not they're aware of it, life will always turn out, in the most simplest of terms, okay.

It certainly came as a surprise to my parents when the child they thought my mother was carrying was, in fact, children. Two, luckily. Any more and the situation would have been much trickier. The doctor forced a lopsided smile onto her lips, cheeks reddened in embarrassment at the fact her flawless record in the field had, actually, been flawed. This wasn't something she was going to admit, though. She instead hoped that the shock of the revelation of twins would be enough for the young couple to forget about her supposedly impeccable career.

"_Two?_" my mother breathed out, squeezing my father's hand, her eyes widened in a mixture of shock and horror and perhaps, at the time, fear.

"Yes, two," the doctor repeated. "The other was hiding behind the first girl the entire time, it seems…"

"That can't be…" my father trailed off, adding to the stupefaction that, to the doctor, was now starting to seem exaggerated.

"It _is_." The doctor straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin, her tone firm like a mother ready to scold her children. "It _will be._"

I don't think my mother enjoyed pregnancy after she found out she was having twins. The maternal glow that illuminated her face and somehow hid the dark circles underneath her eyes had all but disappeared. She glided through the empty halls of her home like a lost ghost. At times she could enter rooms by simply walking through the walls, but lucky for her, and maybe us, she was tangible most days.

Her days fell stagnant and her interactions with others— yes, even her dear husband— were limited. In the final months of her trimester, she hardly stepped outside her room, simply choosing to remain in her bed with her hand over her swollen belly, one much larger because it was carrying the burden of three rather than the two she had— and still did— hoped for.

The breaking of her water wasn't followed by a momentous roar or the histrionic shrieks that so often came with such an occasion. My mother was eerily calm. She lied still in her bed, the sheets now soaked between her thighs, and it wasn't until a maid came into her room to check on her that she finally lifted her head.

"You're going into labor!" the maid wailed. My mother, still a mere apparition to the world, ran her cold hands over her belly and nodded in solemn denial.

"I suppose I am," she said.

The drive to the hospital was just as tranquil. The sharp cramps rippling through her body, wreaking havoc in her abdomen, hardly did more than make her face contort. She would let out a quiet grunt every now and again, but she was silent as the night that enveloped that moment. The maid had to keep looking at her to make sure she hadn't faded into nothingness.

Doctors and nurses and staff alike were both ecstatic and honored to be in the presence of my mother, a world renowned actress and model known for playing the lead role in several hit films. To say they delivered the children of a cherub was a tale they were more than ready to tell their friends (I wouldn't be surprised if they had practiced the retelling of said tale).

The delivery happened like any other. My father came a bit late because he had been stuck in a business meeting, but he was there to comfort his wife, not that she needed any. My mother spent a mere seven hours in labor— perhaps because she was so desperate to get us out— and on the clear night of the twenty third of September, twins Momo and Ume Yaoyorozu were born. Momo screeched. She cried and howled and bawled, like, or more than any baby should. She flailed her tiny limbs as she began to make sense of this new world she was suddenly in. The warmth and cold, the light and darkness, the sounds and sensations that were all very new and very unwelcome.

Ironically or not, I was completely quiet. I made no sound, even after I was taken from my mother and lifted into a strange man's uncomfortable arms. I hardly moved aside from shifting around here and there, and whatever sounds I _did_ make were undetected. Small whimpers and nascent snivels, perhaps? I wasn't sure— no one could hear or simply chose to not pay attention, therefore, it was unknown if I had truly remained muted that night.

When our mother held us close to her chest, as we breathed softly against her damp skin, her lips twitched ever so slightly. It was the first time in months she's smiled. I wish my eyes were opened so I could have witnessed it. Even if I was only a few minutes old at the time, to at least know that I witnessed her smile would have made things a bit less glum.

It was obvious from a young age the type of people Momo and I were. Our parents always preferred her— most likely because _she_ was the one they saw at first, before they realized they would be caring for two— and they treated her as such. She displayed a genius level intellect from a young age that would put even the most prestigious scholars to shame, speaking at the same time she could walk, reading before she was even potty trained. She was well mannered and eloquent in everything she did, graceful and noble, and carried the pride of a princess.

I, on the other hand, did what I could. I liked to think I was keeping up with her, with the only thing that made me stand out being the fact I didn't utter any word until I was four. Before then our parents were relatively concerned over this and took me to a doctor, who tried asking me questions and listing off symptoms, but I would defiantly shake my head or firmly nod depending on what he asked me. Eventually we were sent home and asked to come back another day. On the car ride home, my father looked at me through the rear view mirror and furrowed his thick brows.

"What is _wrong_ with you, Ume?" he questioned, but he spoke as though he were talking to himself rather than me. "Why won't you talk?"

I finally broke.

"Because you won't care if I do," I responded. Their jaws dropped open but the shock left as quickly as it came, like a hasty burglar who snuck into their minds and snatched away their astonishment. The only proof I had that they had in fact listened to me was when they called the doctor and said there was no need for paperwork or diagnoses. I was normal and that was all that was needed.

The only person other than Momo who treated me as my own being was a maid named Miss Lila. Miss Lila was a stern, aloof woman who immigrated to Japan from a faraway country and was hardened by its belligerence, stemmed from crime and corruption and repugnant men she referred to as _tas de merde_— a foreign word that certainly couldn't mean anything good. She came to our house one day with nothing but the clothes on her back, promising to provide excellent care to any children, cook, clean— she hardly finished her broken sentence before she was invited inside.

Despite her gruff exterior, I knew Miss Lila was a kind woman deep down. She was always gentle when handling my hair. She dressed me with the same delicacy one would have with a porcelain doll. She taught me the odd language of her land— French, she called it— that was harsh on the vowels but soft on the tongue, and when I became fluent enough we would have our own conversations in this language that I, for a long time, thought was made up, because we were the only two to understand it, but that made it all the more special to me.

She had dark skin and curly black hair that was always shaved down, but she wore it with pride. She was tall and strong and confident, and though my mother didn't like her very much, her Quirk allowed her to ease any negative feelings with just a touch, which my mother frequently requested. I'm thoroughly convinced this is the only reason why she was kept around.

Growing up in such an environment, with my sister being who she is, made me feel like I was the secondary character in my own motion picture life. It should be noted that Momo and I aren't identical twins. We have enough differences to separate us. She's far more full figured and curvaceous than I am, though I try to maintain a toned physique. While she keeps her hair tied into a ponytail, I prefer to let mine loose, and it reaches the middle of my back, with my bangs sweeping across my forehead to the right.

My eyes are a bit thinner than hers, and, as she describes it, are stuck in a perpetual glare (she attributes this to the amount of time I spend around Miss Lila— apparently, this results in me also adopting her default gaze, which is just short of a scowl). Additionally, my tongue is decorated with a piercing, one I got in secret rebellion.

I'm not angry at nor do I hate Momo. We don't have _that_ sort of dynamic, we're actually quite close, but I'm fully aware that she's the golden child and I'm the black sheep. She's kind and regal. I'm quiet and withdrawn. She excels at playing piano. I'm decent at the violin. She's a beacon in the eyes of everyone and I'm the shadow her light casts.

Momo is everything I'm not— my better half, really. She is one of those who was born lucky. And I, who has to struggle to even be acknowledged, whether or not I wanted to admit it, was the one lucky to be born.

* * *

"Are you working on a new project?"

The sound of squeaky wheels in need of being oiled pierced my ears as they rolled against smooth tile, teacups made from expensive china clinking faintly against each other. I kept my gaze on the myriad of colors in front of me, my eyes scanning the surface of the canvas that contained splotches of differing hues here and there that, with the interference of a paintbrush, became muddled together to form an entirely different shade. I stared thoughtfully at the painting, only paying half attention to the presence that was now beside me.

"Ume?" the voice called again.

"Sorry," I muttered and forced myself to tear my eyes away. Momo smiled endearingly at me, only taking a moment to look away as she poured amber liquid into one of the teacups. She handed it to me with a saucer placed underneath it to prevent me from getting burned before repeating the action with a similar cup. I took note of the detail that lined the cup; the intricate art of pale blue orchids wrapping around the entirety of the cup, accented by gold sinuous lines that gave the porcelain its own sense of nobility.

"Earl gray," she said, once again smiling as she lifted the cup to her lips, small breaths escaping her lungs as she blew on the liquid to cool it.

"Mm," I sounded and turned back to the canvas. "I wanted to try painting people this time."

"Oh? Who?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted and took a moment to sip the bitter, yet slightly sweet tea. "Someone I saw one day."

Momo stepped closer to me and leaned forward, her chin resting marginally on my shoulder, our cheeks making contact. I felt the muscles in her face contort and then rise— she was smiling— and she lifted herself to her full height, firmly nodding.

"What will you name him?" she asked. I lifted my shoulders into a half hearted shrug.

"I'm not sure," I repeated. "Something cool, maybe."

I whirled around in my stool to face her.

"What are your favorite male names?" she asked. Momo clicked her tongue, onyx irises traveling to the ceiling as she began to deeply consider the question. She clicked her tongue once more and tapped her finger against her teacup.

"I like… Takumi."

"Takumi," I parroted.

"Or Yuuki."

"Yuuki."

"Daisuke, as well."

"Daisuke."

Her lips curled up in amusement. "You're being fickle today, Ume."

It was enough to make me chuckle.

"I'm in a good mood."

I took another sip of the tea and set it back onto the cart she wheeled in, which, I realized, was also decorated with various confectioneries; slices of powdery tiramisu and cheesecake drizzled with strawberry syrup; cups containing colorful macarons and enticing pieces of chocolate; the familiar golden brown layer of crème brûlée and the sickeningly sweet custard sandwiched between a _choux à la crème_. My sister was a bit of a glutton, and this presented itself best when she was presented with sweets.

I lifted my head towards her at the same time she turned away, pale cheeks now stained pink in hot embarrassment. I smiled, partly out of reassurance and partly out of guilt; I didn't quite share her fondness for sugary foods, but I still enjoyed them with her from time to time. This, however, was not one of those times.

"I'm sorry," I said. "Later. I promise."

The uplift in Momo's lips was forgiving, but carried a trace of dejection. I was going to say something further, but was promptly interrupted by another figure joining us, calloused hands brushing against her apron as she walked towards us in fast, heavy steps. Miss Lila cleared her throat and folded her hands behind her back, keeping her nose in the air as she spoke to us, a silent quip at the way my father carried himself. I chuckled quietly under my breath, having to keep my mouth concealed by my hand.

"Your parents ask to see you," she said in her accented voice, deep and husky, a personal remnant of her homeland.

"Oh!" Momo chirped. "Thank you, Lila-san."

She followed behind us as we strode down the massive halls of our home, decorated with exquisite paintings sold to the highest bidder, works of art delineated by famous artists, now either deceased or too aged to ever achieve that same level of precision. It was no secret Momo and I lived a life of luxury. The Yaoyorozu family are aristocratic socialites. All enjoyed lavish lives of expensive jewelry, cars, and clothing. Momo and I made conscious decisions to remain humble and economical in spite of the vast wealth our family boasted.

We entered the dining hall, which featured an oblong table, perfect for an entire family to sit at, decorated with a white silk cloth. A grand chandelier hung over it, twinkling every now and again with its silver sparkles gleaming in the light that filtered in through the large windows. Sitting at the table across from each other were our parents; our mother, dressed in a elegant red gown, the same color as her cherry red lipstick, black hair tied into a neat bun; and our father, adjusting the tie to his neatly pressed suit, dark hair slicked back and glasses perched thoughtfully on his nose.

"Girls," our mother called, her sharp voice echoing in the empty spaces of the massive hall. Momo and I bowed to our parents out of politeness and moved to sit beside them, I beside mother, and her beside father.

"Lila, fetch us some tea. Harney and Sons, Mutan White," Father said.

"Of course, Takahiro-sama," Lila responded, bowing at her waist. "Is there anything you would you like, Haruka-sama?"

"No," Mother replied in a curt tone. Her lips tightened and the wavering glance she sent to Lila and then father didn't go unnoticed by me. Lila bowed once more and hurried away. I twisted my head over my shoulder to get a quick glimpse of the window behind me. The sun was setting and painted the sky a vibrant mixture of orange, yellow, and black. I etched that view into my head to be used as inspiration for my next art piece.

"We received your acceptance letters," Mother spoke. Momo gasped and clapped her hands together, eyes shimmering in delight. "Congratulations to the both of you."

"Do you hear that, Ume? We're going to be Yūei students!"

The corners of my mouth lifted. Momo and I had both taken the entrance exam to one of the most prestigious academies the world has to offer, known as Yūei High. We did well— of course, she did better— but knowing we had made it in was more than enough to please me. I could only hope it made our parents feel the same.

"Students in the hero course are required to submit costume designs," Father stated, once again readjusting his tie, even though it was fine just the way it was. Something was making him nervous. His eyes were flickering and his jaw was clenched. My brow twitched, but I made sure not to look too intently so that he wouldn't catch on to the fact I was observing him.

"Oh, hero costumes!" Momo cried. "Ume, I'd be honored if you could design mine. You're the one with the eye for art and fashion, after all!"

"You flatter me," I muttered in chagrin, dismissively waving my hand. "I-I couldn't—"

"You could request the help of your aunt," Mother said, raising one of her perfectly arched brows. "I'm sure she would be more than happy to help."

"I suppose, but…" Momo's brows creased together. "I want to wear what Ume designs."

It was only out of pity that mother didn't release the sigh she was holding in her throat. She looked away from us— more from me than from Momo— and gestured to a pair of servants who came in with large trays filled with steaming plates of food balanced carefully on their shoulders.

"Tonight, we present to you seafood cuisine, lobster tail and crab caught fresh off the coast of Portland, Maine, in the United States," one announced as he placed a plate of food in front of mother and father. Wisps of smoke rose into the air, indicating the freshness of the meal. "Soaked in butter and garlic sauce and broiled to perfection, seasoned with paprika, salt, and black pepper, and topped off with a lemon slice garnish. Enjoy."

"Very nice," Mother purred. At the same time, Miss Lila and another maid entered the dining hall pushing a cart much like the one Momo rolled into my room earlier. They stopped before us and began pouring our tea, careful to not let a single drop splash out of the cup.

"For you, _Madame_," Miss Lila uttered quietly, setting the teacup carefully beside mother's plate. "And you as well, _Monsieur_."

Mother's gaze faltered again.

"When you girls are finished," she began. "Return to your rooms."

Her eyes dimmed in subdued anger. Momo exchanged a knowing look with me. She was in one of her moods again, whether because of Miss Lila or father's apathy or something else entirely different. She was a capricious woman and the constant shifting of her mood and behavior could only be tolerated because of years of practice.

"It would probably be best if we eat in our rooms," Momo suggested, already rising to her feet. I followed in suit, the plate sweltering underneath my fingertips. Mother bobbed her head and father simply continued eating as if he were the only one in the room. The last thing I heard before we exited the space was a bitter voice asking— no, pleading— for a glass of _Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru_.

* * *

"I would need something that could maximize the efficiency of my Quirk so that I won't be hindered when making objects."

Momo sat on the edge of my bed with one leg crossed over the other, her teacup resting idly in her lap. A sketchbook dominated mine. I tapped the empty page with the sharpened point of my pencil, tongue stuck out absentmindedly, a habit I developed over my art career that indicated deep focus.

"Well… when you say that, something similar to what Midnight wears comes to mind," I uttered, the image of the R-Rated Hero appearing in the back of my head. Perhaps nothing as coquettish as her outfit, but something that was considerate of the fact Momo's skin needed to be exposed in order for her Quirk to work.

"A leotard," I muttered, quickly beginning to sketch a rough outline of her body. "It can be accented with something so that your outfit doesn't look so empty— an utility belt, maybe."

"That's an excellent idea!" Momo chirped. "What color? Perhaps blue? I've read that it has a calming effect on people."

I clicked my tongue.

"Blue doesn't quite suit you," I admitted. Her cheeks quickly turned pink. "I'm thinking crimson or vermillion. Red is a color that symbolizes passion, strength, and power, but also femininity. It's also a symbol of good luck in some cultures." I smiled. "It'll make you look reliable, but genial."

"Oh! That's wonderful, Ume!"

It didn't take long for me to sketch a prototype. I handed the book to Momo when I finished, and she furrowed her brows as her eyes scanned the detailing.

"Would it be possible to add an opening in the front? Most fat cells are located in the breasts—"

I snatched the book from her as quickly as I could, a low chuckle emitting from my throat.

"Aren't you worried about boys looking at you?"

"That's hardly a concern!" she huffed. "Heroes don't have time to consider how anyone looks at them! Saving lives takes priority!"

In all fairness, she certainly had a point. The hero world was too chaotic and fast paced to worry about superficial things like clothing, and considering it was for the sake of functionality, I doubt it mattered any.

"Very well," I conceded.

"What will your outfit be like, Ume?" Momo asked, blinking in genuine curiosity. I sighed quietly and lifted my shoulders to my ears.

"I'll think of something," I told her. It wasn't something I was going to worry about right away. My Quirk didn't need my costume to be as revealing as hers, therefore, I could be much more conservative with it. All I had to do was come up with a quick design and mail it back to the company. Momo exhaled quietly, and her eyes lowered to the tawny liquid that remained still in her lap. I glanced at her solemn expression, but before I could ask what was wrong, she spoke.

"Dinner was tense, wasn't it?" she whispered.

"Mm." I sounded and returned my attention back to the sketch. "It wasn't dinner. It was mother."

"She looked upset."

"She was."

"Do you think there was anything we could have done?"

"That isn't the right question, Momo," I said. I closed my eyes for a moment before reopening them. "It's a matter of if she would care."

"Right…"

Momo pursed her lips. Onyx eyes fluttered in deep concern but I couldn't find myself sympathizing. My mind roared in a frustrating bout of pity that stemmed from my examining of her and knowing that there were a million and one things coursing through her mind right now.

Momo was such a tender person. It wasn't obvious most times. She often hid it behind a veil of professionalism and sagacity that could make her seem unapproachable and distant, but anyone who held a conversation with her could see the sincere compassion that buried itself within her, and reared its head back during times like this. It was her strength so much as it was her weakness.

Momo had too much love to give.

She would find a way to make the world stop spinning if it meant her loved ones were safe and happy. She went out of her way to make others the center of her universe and she would orbit around them in an endless eclipse, a holy body that she kept within her gravity. But I suppose this only made her will to become a hero stronger. The boundless love of hers made her perfect for such a career. Her love was something only being a hero could prove.

"You'll be a great hero, Momo…" I mumbled under my breath, so quietly the words had to struggle to part my lips.

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"No, nothing." Softly, I smiled. "Nothing at all."

* * *

The days leading up to the first day of school were exhausting, confusing, and not in any way dissimilar to a whirlwind. I spent the time as I always did, simply existing, but this was between preparing myself for having to interact with others again, and the increasing erraticness of my mother's behavior. I'm not sure if Momo didn't notice, or if she chose to not pay it any mind— or maybe I was just a bit more sensitive when it came to our mother— but whatever it was made me wish I could so easily ignore things like that.

My heart was pounding. It beat in my ears like a heavy drum, almost subduing any other sound that dared tried to pervade my hearing. If I hadn't known any better I would've thought I was going into cardiac arrest. Waves of trepidation seeped into the recesses of my mind and cracks of my bones, setting off a series of alarms and warnings that echoed in my head, pulling me back into myself, uprooting the urge to crawl into a deep hole and never come out.

_Am I dying?_

"Ume, it's time to go!"

I swallowed the lump that nestled itself behind my tongue and somehow gather the courage to turn my head. Momo stood in the doorway of my room, taking a moment to tug her blazer to rid of any wrinkles that have formed. She pressed her hands against her skirt and tilted her head upwards, her eyes sparkling in enthusiasm, accented by the wide smile she struggled to contain.

"Right," I muttered. I followed her out into the hallway, trailing behind her in hopes that maybe seeing her in such a delighted state of mind would make me feel the same. I often read that twins are supposed to have a special, almost telepathic connection— one that transcends what we understand about science and Quirks and everything in between. In theory, Momo and I are supposed to understand each other on a spiritual level; understand what the other is feeling with just a glance, know what we're thinking, _feel_ deeply— but she felt too much and I, too little. Maybe we— or _I_— was doing something wrong.

As we made our way to the front door, several maids and servants we passed along away shared their congratulations' and good lucks, marvelling at our uniforms and telling us empty words of reassurance. I had mostly tuned them out until we reached the front door, and then—

My world froze.

I didn't quite mind my mother often anymore. I had gotten used to her by now, used to her mannerisms and behavior, everything that made up who she is. But this, for one reason or another, was different. She was dressed in a baby blue dress, a glass of whiskey in her hand, with the bitter, pungent smell of said alcohol nearly making me gag. Momo's smile faltered. Her entire aura seemed to dim and all our mother did was glare at us.

"Don't bring ignominy to the Yaoyorozu name, girls," she spoke. She took a sip of the whiskey, leaving a stain of her plum lipstick on the edge of the glass. "Momo, keep your head up high. Step over anyone who dare tries to bring you down. And you, Ume—"

She gave me the same look I gave my paintings when I was going to give up on them.

"Don't get in your sister's way."

I dipped my head. My skin crawling, I hurried to the porch as quickly as I could and raced down the stairs, to our front gate, where a black limousine was waiting.

"Ume—"

I didn't respond to Momo's voice. I slid into the back seat and looked out into the window because I knew if I so much as even caught a glimpse of her, I would burst into tears. I didn't want to embarrass myself. And I didn't want to embarrass my family, but knowing I was the embarrassment _to_ my family, I felt like the only thing I could do was hide away forever.

"Ume, please don't listen to her."

Momo's hand brushed over mine. My skin burned at her contact but I couldn't find it in myself to pull away. I felt like my stomach had swallowed my heart whole and it now sat at the base of my abdomen like a ball of lead.

"The day will get better. I promise."

Desperate to feel okay, I believed her.

* * *

Yūei was a massive glass building arranged in two _H_ shapes, standing tall above any other building, and reflecting the rising sun like a giant mirror. Momo tightly clutched my hand and turned to me. She grinned, and the most I could do was lift the corners of my lips, but she was happy and in spite of what happened, I could force myself to be, too.

"We're here!" she gasped. As soon as the limousine came to a step, Momo stepped out, not even giving the driver the chance to open the door for us, and she dragged me out with her. I stumbled in my footing and lurched forward, nearly crashing into someone else if Momo hadn't pulled me back and steadied me.

"I'm so sorry—!" I groaned. I looked up at to see who it was I almost collided with, and found myself staring into two different pools of turquoise and silver. Impassive eyes blinked at me and he shrugged his shoulders, flickering between Momo and I before ultimately settling upon me.

"It's fine," he said. I recognized this boy, but Momo speak before I did, stepping forward and politely bowing her head.

"Good morning," she greeted, teeth peeking out slightly from the part in her lips as she smiled. "I recognize you from the entrance exams. Remind me of your name again?"

"Todoroki Shoto," he said. He shifted his body as if he was ready to walk away, but remembered that leaving now would be considered rude.

"Ah, right!" Momo chirped. She grabbed my arm and jerked me forward. "This is my sister, Yaoyorozu Ume. And my name is Momo!"

"You look alike."

"We're twins."

"I see."

Momo smiled again, wider this time, and began walking with Todoroki and I beside her. I vaguely remember her mentioning how this boy was both handsome and prodigal, and it now made sense why she was so willing to strike a conversation with him, despite him not appearing to be the talkative type. His responses were short and straightforward and reminded me of myself in social situations. But Momo refused to give up in spite of this.

"You have an incredible Quirk," she said. "Your mastery over it is very impressive! I can tell you're already on the same level as many Pro Heroes."

"Thanks," Todoroki responded, seemingly unfazed by the compliment. "I've had a lot of time to practice with it."

"Yes, of course! Elemental Quirks are typically difficult to master, but you were…" She paused. "You were amazing, Todoroki-san."

"Your Quirk isn't bad either, Yaoyorozu."

I tuned out their conversation, if it could be called that, and drifted my eyes away to look everywhere but at them. It hadn't fully dawned on me until now that I was officially a Yūei student. This wasn't my dream so much as it was my parents', their last ditch effort to try to mold me to become something more than my sister's shadow. And while I _did_ want to become a hero— truly, genuinely— I had my doubts if I ever could. Because what am I compared to her? Momo is a star shining brightest in the darkest sky and I struggle to even flicker.

I had become complacent in life knowing I would always be overshadowed, so wherever I end up while attending Yūei will hardly affect me. Because that's the life I live as the one lucky to be born—

Because that's the life I live as Yaoyorozu Ume.

* * *

**A/N: **So this story was actually requested by someone named _Dark flame mana_, who asked me to write a story with an OC that's Momo's sister, and the idea was so compelling I decided to try it out. We'll see how far this will go uvu thank you for reading and please don't hesitate to drop a review, fave, or follow!


	2. Sunflower Haze

**Disclaimer: **I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**ii. sunflower haze**

—

* * *

Growing up, I was never the social butterfly Momo is. People just seemed to be attracted to her; this could be due in part to her natural beauty, or lucid way of speaking, or likable personality that made her both down to earth and regal. It's as if she always knows what to say to start or carry on a conversation. And people enjoy that. Momo can make people feel at home when socializing, and that's a gift not many people have. Because of that, she's always done well in crowds and making new friends, never fearing what people think of her as she spoke, always doing her best to be attentive and polite, being the one thing I could only dream of becoming.

I didn't have many friends growing up. I was shy and quiet and withdrawn— I still am, for the most part— and people, well, they're _scary_. I lacked the confidence Momo carried around so well and this made it near impossible for me to branch in the same way she did. In truth, I _do_ like people, and I like the idea of making connections, but it's always been such a lofty dream for me that I was thoroughly convinced I would spend the rest of my life in overall solitude, maybe saying a few words or two to one of Momo's friends if I were so lucky.

That's why, when two people suddenly approached me, I held my breath and pinched myself to try to wake myself up from this dream, only to realize that this was very much reality— reality, in all its cruelty, was gracing me with the presence of two people.

They introduced themselves as Kirishima Eijiro and Ashido Mina.

They blinked at me with wide, gracious eyes. Kirishima grinned, revealing a mouth of sharp teeth, while Mina grabbed my hand and spoke quickly and cheerfully, but my mind was still reeling from the sudden appearance of these two, and I was struggling to keep up.

"You're so pretty!" Mina squeaked, once again sending me into a state of shock. It was a compliment I was so unused to hearing, I wasn't sure how to properly respond.

"T-Thank you," I muttered, clumsily stumbling over my words like I had something caught between my teeth.

"Whoa, is that a tongue piercing?" Kirishima asked, blinking. "That's so cool! I kinda want a piercing too, but my parents would kill me if I got one. Did it hurt?"

"U-Um…"

It was only a week after I turned fifteen that I received this piercing. I was angry and impulsive— I don't necessarily regret it, but I wish I had thought it through more. Miss Lila took me to a friend of hers, and despite my age he was eventually willing to give me the piercing. Eating soft foods for three weeks straight wasn't very ideal, but for the new hole in my tongue, it was necessary.

"It… kind of hurt?" I murmured. "It was a very temporary pain…"

I somehow managed to give them a smile in spite of myself. I shifted my gaze and caught sight of Momo, who was taking her seat beside Todoroki; she waved at me and I acknowledged the gesture with a nod. Kirishima and Mina went to their seats and I turned my head to the front of the room where a seating chart was hanging. My eyes narrowed at the sight of my name, and then Momo's. We weren't near each other as I had expected— as a matter of fact, we were on the opposite sides of the class. I returned my gaze to her and moved to my seat.

Just as I sat down, the door slammed open and I nearly jumped out of my seat in shock at the sudden harsh noise. Onyx eyes wandered curiously and a boy with blond hair and red eyes trudged inside, hands buried deeply within his pockets. There was something about him that was immediately identifiable; I couldn't tell if it was the confidence in his stance or the apathy in his eyes, but there was certainly _something_ that was, for better or for worse, vaguely familiar.

He dropped his bag at the seat in front of me and plopped down, kicking his feet up on the desk and leaning back, hardly acknowledging anyone around him. I shifted my body backwards and in my peripheral saw another presence approach us, this time, a tall boy with glasses.

"Excuse me!" he half-shouted with a strict tone. "Please move your feet off the desk!"

"Eh? The fuck?" the blond in front of me scoffed. The boy with the glasses seemed mildly miffed by the vulgar language; he cleared his throat and hardened his gaze.

"Treating the desk with such disrespect is an insult to those who created it, as well as our upperclassmen!"

"Like I give a shit." The blond scoffed again. "Who even are you, damn four eyes?"

"My name is Iida Tenya! I hail from Somei Private Academy!"

"So you're an elite, eh?" He stood up and lurched forward, eyes narrowing dangerously. Iida staggered back a few spaces, but remained steadfast and simply adjusted his glasses. I wanted to say something— in all truth, I _should_ say something— because by now all eyes were on these two and with the lack of a teacher, it was up to someone to stop what could very well become an actual fight. I took in a deep breath, swallowed the fear that was threatening to spill out of me, and got to my feet. My fingers brushed lightly against my desk and I took a step toward them before stopping in my tracks.

"Please, be reasonable," I said, louder than what I was used to speaking. "It's only the first day. You shouldn't be getting into a fight."

They both turned to me with such speed I nearly jumped out of my skin. Rubies scanned my being as if searching for whether or not I was even worth talking to. The blond fully turned to me, face twisted into a scowl.

"Who the fuck are _you_?" he growled. I sucked in a deep breath and pursed my lips.

"Y-Yaoyorozu Ume," I muttered, wanting to kick myself for stuttering like that. A subtle warmth radiated toward me and the lowering of my gaze revealed that it was due to the boy aiming his palm toward me, a gentle orange glow pulsating underneath his skin. I stepped back in caution while the boy sneered.

"I'm sick of you damn two bit bastards telling me what to do like you're my fucking parents," he hissed.

"T-That wasn't my intention," I breathed out. My heart began racing, but I tried to keep my voice and expression calm. I tried to imagine mother, how she would get angry like this and bury me with an angry glower and dagger-like words. _I've gone through this before._

"Ume—"

Momo's touch was shockingly real. She grasped my wrist and tugged me backwards, almost protectively, and I stood still in her arms, staring wide eyed at the blond. He looked about ready to retaliate— no, I was _sure_ he was ready to attack— and the only thing that stopped him and by extension, saved me, was another presence that demanded everyone's attention.

"That's enough."

I turned to the classroom door where a man dressed in all black, dark hair falling around his shoulders and into his strained, half-lid eyes, stood. One hand was in his pocket and the other was carrying a sleeping bag with small tears and dulled colors that all but proved its overuse. His gaze wandered to the blond boy, and then to me. I recoiled in shame and tilted my head downwards so that my strands fell into my face and hid my eyes.

"If that's over," the man sighed. "There should be a uniform at each desk. Change into them and meet me in the field. That's all."

When he disappeared Momo was quick to grab my shoulders and pivot me around so that we were facing each other. Worried orbs inspected every part of me to ensure that I was unharmed. I gently grabbed her hand to silently tell her that I was fine. She then looked over my shoulder, perhaps looking for the boy to scold him, but as she found out, and then myself when I gathered the courage to look back, he was gone. Only Iida remained, who strode towards me and bowed his head.

"Thank you for your help," he said and proceeded to look directly at me. "Your name is—"

He stopped and looked at Momo.

"Twins?"

I remained silent, expecting Momo to respond, but instead she smiled and glanced at me. It was her own way of saying _it's your turn to speak_, and I hoped the pleading look that came to my face was enough to get her to pity me, but she nudged my side with her elbow and I knew mercy wouldn't be granted to me.

"Er… yes," I coughed out. "This is my sister, Momo, and my name is Ume—" I frowned. "But you know that already… right?"

He nodded. "Allow me to reintroduce myself! My name is Iida Tenya. It's a pleasure to meet you both!"

Momo nudged my side again. I held back a groan behind my tongue.

"The feeling is mutual," I said, followed by a soft smile. "Um… we should go to the field now, right?"

Iida swiftly nodded and turned on his heel to walk away, and just as I did the same, Momo grabbed my arm and grinned.

"Well?"

I furrowed my brows. "Well what?"

"How does it feel?"

"_What_ feel?"

She rolled her eyes and directed my gaze to the front of the classroom, where Kirishima and Mina were waving at me. My heart skipped a beat.

"Making friends," she whispered.

She was always the social one. She was always the one people flocked to; the one people talked about; the one who could make friends with just a hello. Momo was always something to someone and I thought I could never be that. But for the first time in my life—

I was something to someone, too.

And with this foreign sense of fulfillment slowly seeping within me, I walked towards them and smiled.

"I don't think I've properly introduced myself yet." They beamed. "My name is Ume."

* * *

"I _just_ realized this, but you and that other girl are related, right?"

There was an unspoken truth about twins, and it's that we're more common than many people think. The question came far too often for my liking and I'm sure Momo felt the same, but we tolerated it because doing otherwise would be discourteous. Mina had joined my side, as well as another student who, despite being nothing but floating clothes, was as much of a girl as any of us— she just happened to be invisible.

"Yes," I answered, displaying a smile. "Her name is Momo. She's my sister."

"That's so cool! You're both so pretty!"

My cheeks and ears suddenly felt extraordinarily warm. The girl beside me— Hagakure Tooru— giggled and held my shoulders.

"You guys look just alike!" she said.

"We get that a lot," I half-joked. I shifted my gaze to the teacher, and he looked over all of us carefully. We had all gathered in front of him, wearing the uniforms we were told to change into, and at this point it was more than obvious that we would be doing something physical.

"My name is Aizawa Shota, and I'm your homeroom teacher," he introduced impassively. "You'll be taking a Quirk apprehension test. They'll be just like the ones you take in middle school, except you'll be permitted to use your Quirk this time around. There will be eight tests in total—" He paused. "Whoever places last will be expelled."

Mina and Tooru gasped sharply. Incredulous whispers quickly made the atmosphere tense, as my classmates all looked around worriedly, some wondering if he was telling the truth and others wondering what they would do if he was. I quickly looked at Momo but I saw no sign of distress on her face. Of course I didn't. Momo would never allow herself to fail, or to place last in anything, not because of pride but because of obligation— the type of person Momo was didn't permit anything resembling a lack of success. I wasn't sure if I envied it so much as I envied what it made her.

The first of these tests was a fifty meter dash. Iida stepped forward and I quickly noticed the engine-like structure of his legs, which, in tandem with his broad frame, made it clear that he was practically built for speed. My theory became fact when Aizawa-sensei gave the signal and Iida dashed ahead at an astounding speed. He clocked in at three seconds.

"Wow," Mina sounded. "That was amazing!"

I nodded in agreement. As my classmates were called up, I took careful note of their Quirks and how they were applied. A girl with bobbed brown hair tapped her clothes and ran across the tracks. A boy with a large muscular tail slammed it against the ground to propel him forward. Mina slid across on a trail of acid. The angry blond boy, whose name I later found out was Bakugo Katsuki, released a series of blasts from his palms to carry him across the track. And then—

"Todoroki, Yaoyorozu."

Momo and I looked at each other.

"Momo," Aizawa-sensei clarified. She smiled and trod forward in confident steps. She unzipped her sweatshirt and turned away from everyone, a bright glow emitting from her abdomen. Within just a few moments, a scooter appeared before her, and once Aizawa-sensei figured they were ready, he uttered a quiet _go_, and they were off.

Frost pooled in Todoroki's palm before exploding off his fingertips, creating a ramp of ice similar to the one he made at the entrance exam. I felt the cold chill nip at my skin and I had to rub my hands over my arms to generate some heat. Momo kept up rather well, and they both crossed the finish line in similar times, making it in just over five seconds.

"That boy is kind of cute, isn't he?" Mina asked, blinking suggestively. I chuckled quietly and looked back at the scene as Momo approached me.

"You did wonderfully," I said, taking her hands into my own.

"Thank you!" she hummed.

"Ume, Midoriya."

"That's you." Momo gently pushed me forward. "Good luck!"

My lips lifted and I jogged over to the track, where a boy with a mess of green curls stood. I noticed the tremble of his body and the way his eyes darted everywhere, not meeting mine until I said hello to him.

"Are you nervous?" I asked.

"K-Kind of," the boy, Midoriya, responded. He scratched the back of his neck. "I'm worried about expulsion—"

"You'll be fine," I whispered. He stopped and slowly looked at me, eyes widening as if my words held some sort of philosophical meaning that helped him reach an epiphany. But they were as simple as they were genuine, which led me to believe that he probably needed comfort that didn't come from his own mind, but from someone else. A reminder, maybe. I turned to the ice that was left over from when Todoroki went up, and I let out a deep breath of relief knowing that this would be made easier for me.

"Go."

I ran forward and jumped on the ice, and knelt down to slam my hands onto it. Almost immediately, it cracked and burst underneath my fingertips with most of the ice except for a single slab I balanced upon turning into water that launched me forward like a geyser. The droplets clung to my skin, clothes, and hair, the wind ruffling my strands, and when I crossed the finish line, I stepped off the slab and the water behind me melted into the ground.

"4.07 seconds."

A few seconds later Midoriya crossed the finish line as well, panting heavily, having to lean over and press his hands against his knees as he caught his breath. I pivoted on my heel to face him just as he lifted his head, and I smiled and gave him a thumbs up before returning to my classmates.

"Ume, that was wonderful!" Momo cheered. "You made it in less time than I did!"

"Wait—" I blinked. "I-I did?"

She nodded and smiled spritefully.

"That's…" I trailed off. _I got a better score than her?_

"That was awesome, Umerozu!" Mina said, derailing my train of thought. I dipped my head to the side at the name she called me, brows creasing together in confusion.

"Umerozu…?" I sounded.

"Yeah! You guys have the same last name, so I don't wanna make things confusing!" Mina giggled. "You can me Umerozu, and you—" She pointed to Momo. "Can be Yaomomo!"

"It's… unconventional as a name…" I admitted.

"But functional as a system." Momo finished and clapped her hands together. "I like it, Ashido-san!"

A hand brushed against my shoulder, and I jumped in surprise knowing it wasn't Momo's. I quickly turned around, but promptly relaxed upon seeing Kirishima's smiling face.

"Man, that was so cool what you did back there! You looked like a torpedo!" he said. Mina bobbed her head in zest.

"Is that your Quirk, Umerozu? Can you control water?" she asked. I quickly shook my head, mildly overwhelmed by the praise.

"N-Not quite," I muttered. I tried looking to Momo for reassurance, but I realized she had slinked away, instead talking to the other girls from the class. I bit my tongue and looked back at Kirishima and Mina.

"Um… I can rearrange the molecules of something," I explained. "It's a bit similar to Momo's. She uses her fat lipids and rearranges the molecular structure to create anything she wants, but I can just use anything that's already here…"

"Wait a minute—" Kirishima knelt down and scooped a handful of dirt into his hands. "So you can make this into—?"

"Anything that's of the same size," I said. I clutched his hand and pressed my fingers against the dirt mound. Shifting it in my palm for a few moments, when I pulled my hands away, a tennis ball now sat in his palm. Kirishima and Mina gaped at the creation, looking back and forth between it and me.

"Ta-da," I chuckled nervously.

"You really _are_ cool, Umerozu!" Mina gasped. "That's such a useful Quirk!"

"You're flattering me," I muttered pitifully. Kirishima and Mina just laughed. I couldn't figure out why, but it was such a hearty, mellifluous sound that afterwards I stopped caring.

There was a deep sense of yearning that embedded itself into me after talking to them a bit more during the course of the rest of the tests. Kirishima and Mina went to the same middle school, both popular in their own regards, well liked and admired— not unlike Momo. There were several times where I was tempted to ask why they decided to approach; why it was _me_ of all people they decided to talk to. I've always considered myself to be far too boring, too mundane, too _common_— not at all 'friend' material, if anything, a fleeting presence at best. And yet…

"_You really _are _cool!"_

And yet, despite my qualms and doubts and concerns, despite every reason I thought of to not involve myself with them any further, I—

"Let's go, Umerozu."

I _couldn't._

Smiling faces and tender hands surrounded me like a hurricane and I was in the eye of the storm. _This_ is what I realized I've been yearning for— people who I could share my moments with, and perhaps this made me selfish, but I wanted it for a bit longer. I wanted it, to feel like I belonged, _somewhere_.

_I would do anything to feel that again._

* * *

I grew up despising my Quirk.

I couldn't control it at first. Everything I touched became something else, transformed and mutated into an entirely different object. My parents said I had the opposite of the Midas touch. I often heard floating whispers and wandering rumors saying that I was cursed. And what reason did I have to not believe them? As far as I and my hands and everything else were concerned, I was.

It started when small objects would fall apart in my hands due to me unknowingly ripping apart the molecules, causing it to disintegrate in a matter of a few seconds. Utensils and articles of clothing. Books and pencils. Everything that came in contact with my fingers would be destroyed and I had no idea how to stop it.

"Lest she becomes a villain, she'll kill us all!"

I was a monster.

That's why, with the commencement of one of the last tests, a ball throw, I was hit with a vague yet familiar and clawing feeling as soon as Midoriya stepped forward. He trembled in a shell of his anxiety, holding the ball in his clammy hands as Aizawa-sensei simply stared at him. I typically wouldn't have given him a second glance, but after standing by his side during the fifty meter dash, something about him became astonishingly clear to me— Midoriya had yet to use his Quirk.

I looked over at Momo, wondering if she had picked up on the same observation. Her eyes were narrow in careful analysis, arms locked firmly across her chest. My vision then fluttered to Iida and the girl with brown hair, his friends, I presumed, both of them sharing similar looks of hope and distress.

"That kid got last in all the tests so far," Mina whispered.

"Did he?" I bit my lip. "I don't think he's used his Quirk yet."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Maybe… maybe he can't control it."

Of course, this would only apply if his Quirk was anything like mine, in that neglecting to maintain control for even a second could result in disaster. Without even thinking about it, I began to sympathize with him, before I realized I was simply projecting onto someone I hardly knew.

"Go," Aizawa-sensei called. Whether or not we were all expecting something grand, well, I'm sure we were expecting _something_— something far more than the ball simply falling limp from Midoriya's fingers a few meters ahead of him.

"Yūei must truly be lowering its standards if it let a kid like you inside."

The voice dripping with condemnation demanded my attention. Aizawa-sensei stood with his strands lifting into the air, dark eyes now red and alive and terrifying. Midoriya froze in place like a deer in headlights. The scraggly scarf wrapped around Aizawa-sensei's neck uncoiled like a serpent and shot out towards Midoriya, wrapping tightly around his arms and head, completely immobilizing him.

"I erased your Quirk. You were planning to go all out knowing that you were going to fail otherwise, weren't you?" Aizawa-sensei asked. Midoriya's head jerked back as if he wanted to say or do something but was unable to due to the constraints.

"Do you really think it's okay to become incapacitated and become nothing but a liability to your team? Another life to save?" Aizawa-sensei hissed. "Because that's what's going to happen."

"Talk about harsh…" Mina whimpered. I heard Momo sigh.

"But it's the truth, is it not?"

Aizawa-sensei pulled a bit tighter on the fabric of his scarf. "I'll tell you something now, Midoriya Izuku."

As if I knew what was coming next, my stomach began churning.

"You can't become a hero with that Quirk."

They said my power was dangerous. They said I was a threat to myself and to the people around me. They said my Quirk was in no way suited for a hero and I believed them. Every word, every glare, every fearful drawn breath and scornful canard, I believed it all and a little bit more. It took me too long to discover the truth, but now that I knew it—

_Did Midoriya know it, too?_

"Midoriya-san!"

All eyes suddenly turned to me.

"You _can_ be a hero! You're here like the rest of us, aren't you?!"

Emerald eyes widened. Aizawa-sensei turned to me, lips pursed. My hands and legs quivered violently, I myself still in shock at my sudden outburst, an impulsive decision stemmed from knowing what it feels like to be—

To be _nothing._

But the truth was as clear as day.

We were more than _nothing._

"I'm giving you another chance," Aizawa-sensei eventually relented, the fabric's grip loosening around Midoriya, resulting in him collapsing to the ground on his hands and knees. "Make it count."

Midoriya scrambled to grab the ball, and I released a large breath of relief at the fact I wouldn't get in trouble. Momo's hand brushed against my own and I looked at her as she smiled graciously.

"You're changing, Ume," she said. My throat suddenly became dry.

"Is that a bad thing?"

She shook her head. "Of course not!" And she smiled a bit wider. "I think it's… exquisite."

* * *

Aside from the broken finger Midoriya suffered, he did very well— throwing the ball a whopping seven hundred meters— although he stood still, tightly clutching his injured hand, and yet somehow managed to smile through it.

"Yaoyorozu-san!" he called. I flinched, and he looked directly at me, eyes carrying a sudden flickering determination behind them. "T-Thank you!"

My lips curled up and I nodded at him. I would've said more, but Aizawa-sensei called for our attention, announcing that our scores would be put up. I found myself instinctively gripping Momo's hand, out of reassurance or something else more deep seeded. The revelation of our scores was stalled by Aizawa-sensei unceremoniously telling us that the threat of expulsion was just that— a threat— and placing last would garner no such punishment. So when our placements were shown, and Midoriya's name appeared last, he practically fell to the ground, having to be held up by Iida and the other brunette.

It was no surprise to me that Momo placed first. She beamed with elated satisfaction, that grin on her face never leaving. In second was Todoroki, whose expression remained blank and indifferent. And then— to my shock—

I was in third.

Momo grabbed my shoulders, ready to celebrate with me, but my eyes almost immediately landed on the pair of rubies that bore holes right into me. Bakugo scowled indignantly at me, fists balled up in his pockets due to the fact his name was underneath mine and not the other way around. I tried my best to look away and ignore the nervousness slowly trickling into my very pores, and instead focus on the fact I did much better than anticipated.

The rest of the day came and went like any other. It passed by like a fleeting thought and a small part of me was grateful for that, because by the end of the day I wanted nothing more than to go home and fall asleep in my bed. When the bell for the end of the day rang, I was quick to gather my things, but just as I started to walk away, there was a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and Midoriya smiled shyly at me, rubbing his thumb over the hand of his broken finger, which had been wrapped up in bandages.

"I wanted to thank you again for supporting me back there, Yaoyorozu-san," he coughed out. "I-It meant a lot to me!"

"Oh—" I sucked in a deep breath. "Yes, you're welcome, Midoriya-san." I raked my fingers through my hair. "I, um… I understand what it's like to have a harmful Quirk. So I… I thought it was only natural if I said something."

"You did the same during the fifty meter dash," he muttered. "I wasn't expecting it, but I really needed it."

I bobbed my head. "Even the heroes need help sometimes."

"That's true, too!" Midoriya said, emeralds sparkling. I smiled, but it quickly faded when a force bumped into my desk, causing it to push back against my leg. I stumbled forward and hissed at the sharp pain that hit my thigh, and when I turned around, Bakugo met my curious gaze.

"The fuck are you looking at?" he growled.

"N-Nothing, Kacchan!" Midoriya quickly blurted out, waving his arms in front of him. I remained quiet; until I went to move past him and uttered a quiet 'excuse me'. For one reason or another, Bakugo didn't react well to this. He pushed his weight against me and I staggered back once more.

"Not so fuckin' tough now, huh?" he spat. I swallowed dryly, trying to hold back the lump that threatened to lodge itself in my throat.

"I-I don't…" I murmured. "I'm just trying to get through."

He looked about ready to do something more, but Kirishima stepped forward, calling out his name. Bakugo scoffed and turned on his heel, storming away before anything else could be said.

"He's probably just in a bad mood," Kirishima said before turning to me. "Are you okay, Umerozu?"

I was scared and stunned, and the blood in my veins felt like they had turned to ice, but otherwise—

"I'm fine." I bowed my head. "Thank you, Kirishima-san."

He grinned and patted my shoulder. "No problem! Wanna go home with Mina and I?"

"I'm sorry. I'd love to, but I go home with my sister." I looked over at her as she waved me over. "Another time, I promise."

Kirishima pouted, sticking out the bottom of his lip, but he eventually showed me a grin.

"Alright, but I'm gonna count on you to keep that promise." He held up his pinkie towards me. I looked at him for a few moments in mild confusion before realizing what it was he wanted to me to do, and I wrapped my pinkie finger around his, smiling slightly.

"I'll see you tomorrow then—" Our hands separated. "Umerozu."

"See you tomorrow, Kirishima-san."

I bid my goodbyes to Midoriya, as well as Mina, Iida, the brown haired girl, and even Todoroki, before exiting the classroom with Momo.

"So much has happened, and it's only the first day!" she sighed, leaning against me. "But this is just a fraction of what Yūei has planned for us."

"Yeah…"

"You seem to be popular in class, Ume." Momo grinned mischievously and my cheeks exploded in warmth.

"N-No, it's nothing like that!" I retorted quickly. "I—"

"I'm just teasing you! In actuality, it makes me happy to see this side of you."

I furrowed my brows. "This… side of me?"

"The side that you've always had, but never received the chance to show," Momo said. "The you that's blooming."

"Blooming…?"

"Can't you feel it? You…"

Onyx eyes glimmered brightly.

"You're changing, Ume. I can hardly recognize you."

I took her hand and gently squeezed it, having to force back the smile on my face.

"I suppose that what happens when you're surrounded by people who bloom just as beautifully. It makes me…"

_Something yearned for._

"Happy."

* * *

_Yaoyorozu Ume, Quirk: Transmutate. She can alter the molecular structure and chemical composition of anything she touches! She can turn a chair into a bike; a wooden stick into a sword; or a frog into a ball. Any altercations made are permanent unless she rearranges the molecular structure to bring it back to its original state. _

* * *

**A/N:**

Before anything I wanted to give a huge thank you for all the faves, follows, and reviews I've gotten so far! It made me so happy to see that so many people are interested in this story! I hope I'll be able to deliver something that makes you all happy ;v;

The original plan for this story is supposed to be Ume x Bakugo, which will most likely be the end pairing, but I'm curious— do you guys think Ume should end up with someone else? Of course, her relationships with others in 1-A will be fleshed out more as time goes on, but like I said, I'm curious. Let me know in a review!

Thank you for checking out this story and reading this chapter, and I'll see you later uvu


	3. Escapism

**Disclaimer: **I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**iii. ****escapism**

—

* * *

When I was a young girl, I was thoroughly convinced that when I grew up, I would become a star.

I always had a fascination with outer space. At times, I would pretend I was in a movie and stare out my window on clear nights, but what started out as a fantasy quickly turned into reality as my fascination for the twinkling orbs lingering in the sky grew. I, too, wanted to shine bright and dance with the moon and be a part of something eternal— if not history, then the dark blanket above.

Of course, this didn't last very long. It didn't take long for me to be told when people die they don't become stars, they just die and that's the end of that. In a matter of a few moments the only thing I had dreamt of was destroyed with just a few bitter words from an alcohol stained tongue.

This desire to become a star stemmed from my subconscious want to become something more. Momo never had to worry about these things. She never had to try to be better because she always _was_ better. Mother hailed her as a genius when a matryoshka doll first emerged from her skin, and meanwhile, I was deemed a curse. I was always playing catch up, but was it even worth it if no one could see me?

The story of Yaoyorozu Ume was a tragedy in of itself.

I always admired those with the power to write their own stories. It required a certain type of strength that I lacked, but if I could ever achieve that type of strength, I could say that would make me happy. I wanted to be more than what people always saw me as, and if that made me a star or a hero or something else entirely, I—

_I wanted to be strong, too._

* * *

I hadn't realized my first week at Yūei came and went until I found myself able to call my classmates' names from memory. Kirishima and Mina always made sure to cling exceptionally close to me, which at times made it feel like they were moreso my bodyguards than my friends. Momo kept her distance— her own way of ensuring that I wouldn't rely on her to branch out more— and for better or for worse, it was working.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't starting to get more comfortable with my classmates, with the only exception being Bakugo, but this was mostly because he firmly refused to even acknowledge me outside of passing glances and quiet expletives. So I stayed away as far as I could, deciding that despite his crudeness and confrontational personality, if I didn't bother him then he wouldn't bother me.

Walking into class early in the morning, Momo and I were met with a relatively empty room, with the only others inside being Todoroki and Midoriya. I greeted the latter with a polite smile as I dropped my bag and took my seat.

"Good morning," I said.

"Good morning, Yaoyorozu-san!" Midoriya returned. He inclined his head slightly to the side, freckled cheeks rising in mild amusement. "That must get confusing when the both of you are together, right?"

I chuckled under my breath.

"At times, yes," I answered. "But that's why Ashido-san gave us both nicknames."

"Nicknames?"

"I'm Umerozu, and she's Yaomomo."

"Oh!" Midoriya exclaimed. What followed was the upward curling of his lips, followed by a short laugh that was enough to create a smile of my own. "Should I call you Umerozu, then?"

"That's entirely up to you, Midoriya-san," I said.

"Y-You can call me—" He paused, as if searching for his next words before speaking again. "You can call me Deku!"

"Deku…?" I muttered, vaguely recalling the times I've heard Bakugo utter that name with malice.

"I-I won't mind or anything!" Midoriya quickly said. "It used to be a word that was used to hurt me, but someone changed the meaning for me. Now, it's something I can wear with pride."

"Oh…" I quietly breathed out. Under normal circumstances I would absolutely refuse to use such a name. It was too deprecatory, too much like an excuse to make fun of someone, and it wouldn't be fair if I used the same name that was given to berate and put someone down. But—

_But this was different, wasn't it?_

My name only came to be when my mother delivered Momo and I and remembered that she did, in fact, have two children. My parents had already decided on the name Momo; it was sweet like the fruit its meaning derived from, gentle, and soft. And— as Mina and my other classmates discovered— it was perfect for creating nicknames out of.

My parents cycled through a variety of names trying to settle on one that fit. Father suggested ones like Akari, Natsumi, and Miwako. Mother thought of Chiaki, Haruna, and Kiko. A nurse, who had helped deliver Momo and I, eventually spoke up, I'm sure because she was tired of hearing the couple go back and forth between names only to decide they didn't like it.

"What about Ume?"

It meant plum. At first, my parents didn't very much like it. It was too short and curt, didn't flow off the tongue well and sounded too open ended when spoken. And yet, no other name sounded as right as it did. With defeated sighs hanging off the tips of their tongues, my parents reluctantly agreed, and the story goes that when the nurse went home that night, she celebrated with a bottle of sake at the fact she had named the esteemed Haruka and Takahiro Yaoyorozu's child.

If I could find her today, I would tell her I'm sorry for bringing dishonor to the name.

My name, like many other things pertaining to me, was a curse. It was always like it had to be forced out when others called for me; they had to scrape the syllables off their tongue and flick it in my direction if my attention was needed. For a long time, I _hated_ my name and even now it's still a work in progress. So maybe that's why my next few words and the expression that came to Midoriya's face made me elated in the fact that my name, cursed or not, wasn't something I had to be ashamed of.

"Midoriya-san? You…"

_Maybe I can make this mine, too._

"You can call me Ume."

* * *

Lunch, being the busiest time of the day, was unsurprisingly chaotic as the cafeteria was filled to the brim with first year students from each department. Most of the dozens of tables within the open space had already been filled by people who had formed their own small groups— which, I suppose, was to be expected from a high school. As I roamed around the cafeteria, trying to find a space away from everyone or at least near Momo, I noticed my classmates all having created their own respective cliques.

A few sat in duos or trios of people they've spent the most time with so far. Midoriya sat with Iida and Uraraka (I finally learned her name a few days ago after it was said in passing). I twisted my head and saw Momo, but she was sitting with the other girls in the class— Tsuyu, Hagakure, and Jiro. The shifting of my gaze brought my eyes to where Mina was, with Kirishima, Kaminari, Sero, and a disgruntled looking Bakugo.

Aside from my sister, Mina, Kirishima, and Midoriya were perhaps the only people I could sit with and feel the least awkward around, but I didn't want to intrude on what they had already established. I didn't do well in groups and I was only just now starting to understand the finer parts of small talk.

I sighed quietly and ultimately decided that sitting alone would perhaps be the most ideal thing to do, but I heard a pair of voices call my name, prompting me to turn around. Kirishima and Mina waved their arms into the air, smiling from cheek to cheek. My face became warm at the scene they were making and I quickly shuffled over to them to calm them down.

"H-Hi," I said with a wave.

"Come eat with us!" Mina chirped. My eyes immediately flickered to Bakugo, who glared at me and scowled, arms locked firmly over his chest. It was more than enough for me to want to say no.

"I-I don't know," I coughed out. I moved my hand to clutch my forearm in an attempt to curb my nervousness.

"Don't worry about this guy," Sero said, jerking his thumb in Bakugo's direction. "He's just in a bad mood."

Kaminari quickly bobbed his head, golden eyes shining. "We'll happily let you into our group, cutie!"

I couldn't help but let out a chuckle as a product of my stupefaction from the name Kaminari referred to me as. It caught me off guard and I wasn't exactly sure on how to respond, if I should've responded at all. I instead just smiled— because smiling was never a bad thing to react with— and looked over at Mina, who grinned and gave me a thumbs up.

"I guess so, in that case," I said. Wholly ignoring the pair of rubies that pinned onto me, I smiled again and loosened the grip I had around my opposite arm. "I'm going to get something to eat first, though."

"Oh! I'll come with!" Mina said. She stood up and, to my shock and surprise, clambered over the table, stepping between the trays of food, her awkward, heavy footsteps making the table rattle, before jumping down in front of me. I teetered back a few steps, but she grabbed my arm and pulled me towards her, easily brushing off the others' groans of dismay at her stunt that very well could have ruined their lunch if she had stepped a few more centimeters to the right or left.

"Let's go, Umerozu!" she hummed, pumping an enthusiastic fist into the air. Whether or not I wanted to walk with her didn't matter, because Mina practically dragged me to the lunch line with substantial zest. I stumbled over myself as I tried to match her quickened pace.

"Honestly, Umerozu, I just wanted to get away from them for a bit," Mina suddenly admitted once we were a considerable distance away from the table.

"How come?" I asked, creasing my brows together in curiosity.

"All they talk about is guy stuff!" she groaned. "I mean, Bakugo doesn't talk much at all, but the other three? Man, they're impossible to be around! But they're my friends, so it's not like I can just up and leave, ya know?" she explained. I nodded slowly to her words.

"The guy to girl ratio in the class is seriously messed up," Mina continued, puffing out her cheeks. "So I'm really happy you'll be sitting with us!"

"Oh— right," I smiled. "You and Kirishima-san have been nothing but kind to me since we met. It's only fair I eat lunch with you."

The lunch line already had a decent amount of people standing and waiting for their food. Mina and I placed ourselves behind the last person. The distinct smell of a variety of spices all mixing together entered my nose. Thyme, ginger, oregano, paprika, wasabi, muddled together into a miscellany of pleasant aromas that was enough to make my mouth water.

"Hm? So you're kind of a glutton, huh, Umerozu?" Mina asked, blinking in a prankish manner.

"Wh—?" I gasped. "N-No, I…"

Mina laughed and nudged me with her shoulder. Despite her seemingly boundless energy that I struggled to keep up with, I could say without a doubt that I truly appreciated her. Mina was light hearted, exuberant, and overall a fun person to be around. And while she was a bit of an airhead, she was in no way an idiot; I'm positive the only reason she called me over was because she knew that I was alone. This led me to realize the type of person Mina truly is— someone who wouldn't ever let someone else feel lonely in any way.

I smiled.

"Hey, Ashido-san?" I asked. She made a small sound of questioning as she turned to me. "Is it alright if I call you Mina?"

Eyes and grin widening all the same, Mina threw her arms around me, and, consequently, her full weight. I shambled backwards as I tried to keep the both of us from tumbling over, but when she suddenly let go of me I reeled back and bumped into something. A gasp escaped my throat faster than I inhaled. I whirled around on my heel, finding myself staring into a pair of heavily bagged purple eyes.

"You should be more careful," he said, a subtle tilt of his head emphasizing the sardonic tone laced in his words.

"I'm sorry," I said, bowing my head.

"It was totally my fault!" Mina cried. "You weren't hurt, right, Umerozu?"

"No, no, I'm fine," I reassured and looked at the boy I bumped into. "What about you?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose I'm fine."

Amethyst eyes fluttered towards me in unwavering judgement. I immediately felt alarmed and somewhat violated as he continued to stare at me. I was stuck between trying to figure out if I should acknowledge him, or ignore him.

"You're from the hero course," he finally spoke. Mina and I looked at each other and then back at him, the both of us nodding as a response to his question. "Then, that means I must consider you my rivals, right?"

"Say what?" Mina asked, scratching her head.

"My name is Shinso Hitoshi," he spoke, narrowing his eyes. "I'm from the general education course. I took the entrance exam for the hero course, but my Quirk was practically useless against robots."

"My name is Ashido Mina!" She threw an arm around my neck and pulled me towards her. "And this is Yaoyorozu Ume!"

"Yaoyorozu?" Shinso quirked a brow. "I'm familiar with that name."

I inclined my head. "Our family is relatively well known."

"Famous, more like," he snorted. "You have a sister, don't you?"

"I do."

"The both of you must be gifted, then."

I threw my hand up to the back of my neck, rubbing my fingers against the skin, which was starting to become warm in embarrassment.

"_She_ is, certainly—"

"You're totally cool too, Umerozu!" Mina gaped. Shinso's lips curled up.

"You should give yourself more credit— what is it? Umerozu?"

"Just Yaoyorozu is fine," I murmured. He clicked his tongue.

"A friend thing, I see," he said. I didn't want to admit that he was right, because I didn't want to come off as rude.

"Hey, Shinso!" Mina suddenly spoke up, unknowingly or not saving me from my internal dilemma. _Never had I been more grateful to anyone._ "You said you took the entrance exam for the hero course, right? What's your Quirk, then?"

"My Quirk?" he parroted. Mina nodded.

"Yeah! What—"

She suddenly stopped mid-sentence. I blinked a few times and when her arms fell limply to her side, I went into panic mode. I placed my hands on her shoulders and examined her carefully, noticing the way her usually bright eyes were now dull, as if she were staring far off into space. I turned back to Shinso, who buried his hands deep within his pockets, looking around casually.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"She asked to see my Quirk," Shinso responded, gesturing to Mina.

"Yes, to _see_ it," I reiterated.

"My Quirk isn't exactly something that can be seen, Yaoyorozu," he said. "It's experienced."

"Some sort of brainwashing?" I muttered. It had to be— this happened only after the topic of Quirks came about, and only when Mina explicitly asked about his. It was obvious she wasn't in control of herself, which meant that, more than likely, he was the one who now controlled her behavior or actions. That being said, I don't think it was something activated on his own. If it was, he would have done it immediately after Mina asked, but he responded to her question with one of his own— not a statement or a simple explanation, but something she had to be able to respond to, which meant—

"It's activated by word," I continued, my eyes widening as I looked at him. Shinso's lips twitched, and he let out a quiet hum, which all but solidified my theory.

"You catch on quickly," he said. "You're right about that, but it only activates when I want it to."

I sucked in a deep breath.

"Please release her."

He lifted his shoulders to his ears impassively. A few moments later, Mina suddenly sprung to life, taking in a deep gulp of air as if her body had been deprived of it for hours. She looked around and touched her face, then turned back to me before returning her eyes to Shinso.

"What did you do?!"

"Nothing," Shinso returned. Mina pouted and grabbed my arm, ready to walk away, only stopping when Shinso spoke again.

"Let's do that again one day," he chuckled. "I'm sure we'll see each other again, Yaoyorozu-san."

Mina pulled me away before I had a chance to respond.

We quickly grabbed our trays of food— Mina had a bowl of rice with natto and an egg, and I settled for udon— and hurried back to the table as quickly as we could with the full intention of avoiding Shinso. Kirishima was the first to greet us, and as soon as we sat down, Mina slammed her hands on the table, puffing out her cheeks in exasperation.

"The craziest thing just happened!" she exclaimed. "Umerozu and I were waiting in line, and then there was this kid behind us who started talking to us, and he talked about his Quirk, and I asked what his Quirk was, and then all of a sudden I wasn't in control of my body! It was like I was in the passenger seat of a car, like, I knew what was going on, but I couldn't do anything about it! It was _crazy_!" she finished, inhaling deeply.

"Eh? Is that why you guys took so long?" Sero asked, eyes narrowing in mild confusion, like he was trying to process everything Mina just said.

"For the most part, yes," I said, breaking a pair of chopsticks.

"He was kinda weird, wasn't he, Umerozu?" Mina inquired. "That, and he was totally flirting with you. He wasn't even trying to hide it."

I almost choked on the noodles I began to eat, biting my tongue in the process, and dropped my chopsticks, my head twisting to face Mina. Four pairs of eyes did the same, as we all stared at her in bewilderment.

"_Flirting_?" Kirishima asked.

"Who the fuck?" Bakugo scowled.

"Mina, you're just making things up," I quickly said, feeling the heat rise in my face. "H-He wasn't flirting!"

Mina rolled her eyes. "You're just being modest. You guys should've seen him!"

"Someone is making a move already?" Kaminari groaned in dismay. "These guys work fast…"

"Please don't take it the wrong way. It wasn't anything like that," I pleaded. The next ten minutes afterwards was spent with Mina absolutely insisting that Shinso was flirting with me. Whether or not it was true, because I was tired of thinking about it and the others were getting annoyed hearing it, I eventually yielded and gave into Mina's argument, despite not believing it in the slightest.

The rest of the period was spent in relative normalcy. Bakugo and I were the only ones who engaged minimally in the conversation, I because I didn't know what to say, and he because— well, I assumed he simply didn't care enough to speak. When the bell indicating the end of the period rang, I was among the first to stand up, my fingers curled underneath my tray. I moved past the table to throw my bowl in the trash, but of course this meant I passed by Bakugo.

He glared at me which, to my surprise, eventually softened into a less irate glance. I met his gaze for a moment before turning away to throw the empty bowl that once contained my food into the trash, and place the tray on top of the bin. Just as I turned around, a head of blond entered my vision as Bakugo passed by me.

I was tempted to say something— as a matter of fact, I most certainly almost did— but I was stopped by the sight of his back toward me as he walked away, further and further from me. It was somehow a familiar experience, like I had seen this, that I'd been here before. I recognized this feeling as what some would call déjà vu. And stuck in my memories that replayed behind my eyes, I stepped forward.

_Maybe you were in the stars somewhere._

* * *

Growing up in a family like mine often exposed me to the hero world from a young age. My aunt is a Pro Hero under the name Shiftress, born with the ability to absorb substances and take on their properties. She was an esteemed woman, well known and admired by most of Japan, and someone I looked up to despite knowing I could never become like her. And due to her duties, I didn't get to see her very often, but whenever I did it was nothing short of a good memory.

That being said, the absolute last thing I expected was to see the Transformation Hero, Shiftress, otherwise known as Matsuoka Saiko, stride into our classroom right behind one of the most famous heroes in the country— All Might.

Momo and I looked at each other in horror among the gasps of awe that escaped our classmates' lungs and filled in the empty spaces of the room, whatever cracks and crannies All Might's presence couldn't reach. They both stood before us, tall and proud, hands on their hips. While All Might wore his famous silver age costume, completed with a long blue cape that flapped behind him despite there being no wind.

Aunt Saiko, on the other hand, wore a costume that was most recently upgraded— a navy blue sleeveless bodysuit with the right leg ending at her upper thigh, with a high collar and small keyhole neckline. A pair of white arm warmers extended up to her forearms, and her black hair and bangs was held back by a white headband, dark eyes immediately pinning on Momo and I.

"It's time to start combat training!" she proclaimed, her voice booming in delight. All Might gave a firm nod.

"Everyone, change into your hero costumes and meet us in Ground Beta!"

Momo and I bolted.

* * *

"Did you know she'd be here?"

"I didn't. Is she a teacher here?"

"I have no idea. Maybe she's just a guest."

I turned my back to Momo and she sighed as she helped zip my costume up. In the end, I had designed a costume for myself, although it was rather last minute and rushed. I wore a wine red leotard— the shade much less saturated and vivid than Momo's carmine— long sleeved and with a turtleneck collar, complemented by black fingerless gloves, and finished off by similarly colored boots that reached my upper thigh. It had ended up looking more like hers than I expected, and tying my hair into a ponytail only solidified what was already an indisputable fact, that Momo and I truly were twins.

"I just don't want it to get in the way," I quickly said upon seeing the amused look on her face.

"I didn't say a thing," Momo hummed, walking beside me, our steps matching. "I think you look amazing, Ume."

"You're flattering me."

"Is that a bad thing?"

I chuckled. "No, I suppose not."

Momo linked her arm around mine and grinned spritefully. It was just for a moment, but I felt like we were little girls again, prancing down the once endless halls without a care in the world because we were children and children didn't care. This was long before we caught up to reality, but it was a time in my life where I could truly say I was happy. I gently clutched her hand, and with the warmth diffusing under my palm, I smiled at this serendipitous instant we were able to share.

* * *

Ground Beta was a training facility designed to be a near perfect replica of Tokyo, with a large portion of it I know having been funded by the Yaoyorozu family. The attention to detail was just as I expected, from the cracks in the paint on the buildings to the ones that lined the sidewalk.

All Might waited for us at the entrance to the area, dwarfing my aunt who stood beside him, grinning widely. My aunt was a bit of an anomaly in the Yaoyorozu family. While not necessarily shunned by the others— I figured this was due in part to her fame and success as a hero— there was a reason she didn't visit often. This made us alike in some ways and very different in others, but I still admired her all the same.

"You'll be split into pairs of Heroes and Villains," Saiko explained. Though she spoke to the class, her eyes always remained on Momo and I. "Villains will be given a weapon. Heroes, you must capture this weapon or the Villains. The opposite holds true for the Villains, as they must protect the weapon or capture the Heroes! Everyone understand?"

Once everyone sounded a unanimous chorus of agreement, she gestured to All Might, who held up a box in his hands, announcing that it was time to choose teams, which would be based on randomly drawn lots. I glanced over at Momo, who smiled softly.

"This is exciting!" she said, clapping her hands together. "Being able to utilize our Quirks in a combat setting— doesn't that sound thrilling?"

"Only if we're not paired with someone who will try to blast us into next week," I muttered, immediately thinking of Bakugo.

"What if we're paired together?"

My lips upturned. "We can make it work."

Our attention was caught by the sight of our aunt, who motioned for us, beckoning for us to come over. Momo was the first to walk toward her, and I trailed behind. Our aunt cocked her hip out slightly, and rested a fist on her waist, mouth contorting into a mischievous smile as she arched a brow.

"Well?" she asked, confusing the both of us with a single word.

"Well… what?" I asked. Saiko rolled her eyes.

"Got any questions for me?"

"A few—" Momo spoke up, raising her hand as though she were in a classroom. "What are you doing here, aunt Saiko?"

She threw her head back in gallant laughter, leaving Momo and I to simply stare at her in disconcertment. Saiko was always a bit of an enigma. She was somewhat of a mystery to us and an even bigger one to the public, the only information absolutely known about her being her age, lineage, and the fact she was married. To who, no one, not Momo nor I, and I doubt even our parents, knew. Everything else about her was a rumor conjured up by curious people desperate to understand her better. How this was, I didn't know, but I suppose when you're considered a black sheep by those around you, such things could be afforded.

"The truth is, I was invited here," Saiko said, pressing her finger up to her lips. "All Might and the mouse asked me to help teach a class of first years, and knowing that I could see you guys, I decided to accept!"

"Does mother know about this?" Momo gasped, brows furrowing in concern. Saiko smirked.

"She won't if you two keep quiet."

I had already made my decision. Momo, however, seemed uneasy, whether at the presence of Saiko or the idea of hiding something from our parents, but mostly our mother. She was the type who couldn't keep secrets, not because she had a big mouth but because she hated the idea of lying, because she certainly knew she wouldn't want anyone to keep information from her.

"Don't worry about it, Momo," I reassured. "It'll be okay."

She smiled at me, but I wasn't sure how much she believed my words. Saiko smiled and placed her hands on the small of our backs, gently pushing us away. We understood the gesture and trudged away, but Momo's head snapped in the direction of white that crossed our peripheral, onyx eyes shining blissfully as a pool of silver and turquoise looked back at us.

"Your costume looks wonderful, Todoroki-san!" Momo cooed, her gaze locked firmly on our classmate.

"Thanks," he responded, slightly shifting his shoulders. "You two look alike."

"It was on purpose."

"It wasn't on purpose."

Opposing answers uttered in confident unison prompted Momo and I to look at each other. Her cheeks were suddenly painted with a brilliant shade of pink and she swiped her hand near her eyebrow, brushing away a strand of hair that found its way to her eye.

"I-I mean—" she stammered. She was behaving uncharacteristically, but I knew it was because she was in Todoroki's presence, who she's knowingly or not been gushing over to me. She was much more attentive to his behavior than anyone else's, even mine— picking up the subtle way his eyes would flicker like a candle whenever he wanted to say something but didn't know how to word it; the slight twitch in his lips that indicated amusement; his straightforward way of thinking and speaking that was somehow tedious yet charming. It was obvious what this all meant, but I decided to let Momo figure it out for herself.

"She thinks you look good, Todoroki-san," I told him. While Momo lowered her head in embarrassment, I picked up on the modest movement of his mouth— he was pleased after all— and he tilted his head slightly, carmine and white falling into his mismatched stare.

"So do you," he said. Momo practically beamed as he walked away, brighter than I've ever seen her before, so much so that even I was able to show a smile of my own.

"Yaoyorozu-chan!"

We both turned around at the sound of our name, but I figured it was moreso directed to Momo, considering no one had used the honorific toward me yet. Uraraka waved for our attention, Midoriya and Iida beside her, the former wearing a suit of armor, and the former wearing a green jumpsuit. Uraraka herself was dressed in a skintight bodysuit, one she seemed to be ashamed of, considering the withdrawn position she stood in.

"You all look wonderful!" Momo said. The grin Uraraka showed was followed by the drawing of her brows together as she pulled at her costume, grumbling quietly.

"I wasn't specific with the material, so they made it super fitting!" she whined.

"Well, it's most likely the best fabric regardless," Momo said.

"You know, seeing you both stand side by side like this, it's like I'm looking at two copies," Midoriya spoke.

"You don't have to think too hard about it," I said, chuckling softly.

"By the way, are you two familiar with Shiftress?" Iida asked, voice echoing underneath his helmet. "I saw the both of you near each other for a moment."

"She's our aunt," Momo answered. Midoriya's eyes instantly went wide. "She just wanted to talk to us for a bit."

"That's amazing! Being related to a Pro Hero— I mean, that must be a great thing for you both, right?" Midoriya voiced. Uraraka nodded quickly.

"It certainly has its advantages," Momo said. "She's helped us to train and better understand our Quirks."

"Which means the both of you will do awesome in this, right?" Uraraka squeaked.

"Well… we will certainly see, won't we?"

* * *

I sometimes liked to indulge in the thought that I wasn't cursed; that I was just the victim of unfortunate coincidences, and that luck was nothing but a concept people came up with to feel better about the good and bad things that occurred in life. Things just happen because they _do_, like the fact I was to be going up against Midoriya and Uraraka, or the fact I was assigned on the villain team.

But this?

"Get in my way and you're fucking dead."

This had to be the result of unseen forces at work, fully intending on making my life more difficult than it had any business being.

I could've expected my pairing with Bakugo. I could've, and I very well should've, but I didn't because I was getting optimistic and comfortable and rather foolishly letting my guard down. Kirishima and Mina, as well as Kaminari, Sero, and a handful of my other classmates, sent me their silent condolences, pitied stares and a shaking of the head being all that I needed to know that they felt incredibly sorry for me.

The irony was almost too much to handle, being paired with the one person I was trying to avoid the most out of fear of being blown into next week. I then began to think that this was just something that was going to happen sooner or later— it just so happened to be sooner. Bakugo glared at me from the corner of his eye and I rubbed my temples in my attempt to figure out what I was going to do to make it out of this mess alive.

"I, um—"

As soon as I spoke, his head whipped toward me as if challenging me to say anything more. I physically recoiled, unable to face such a bitter gaze without expecting words seeping with disgust or a slap from a hand that supposedly gave tender touches.

"W-We should work together to win this," I muttered before gulping. Bakugo just scoffed and turned away from me.

"_I'll_ take care of them," he growled. "You just sit back and stay out of my way."

"But this is a team effort," I said. "And… what if you get overwhe—"

Bakugo snorted. "As if either of those two bastards will give me an issue!"

"You… you shouldn't underestimate them, Bakugo-san."

"That damn Deku can't use his shitty Quirk without fucking himself up, and the Chipmunk needs to touch something to activate hers." He sneered. "You're dumber than I thought if you think I'll let either of them get close."

"That isn't what I meant…"

"I don't give a shit."

Bakugo Katsuki was impossible.

I sighed quietly and raked my fingers through my hair in hopes that my frustration would exit my nerves. Getting him to even listen to me wasn't an option unless I was more stern with him, which I knew I couldn't be— at least, not now— meaning I'd have to back him up as much as I could and hope that he didn't get too upset by it. We were given a mere five minutes to plan an attack against the hero team, and most of it was being spent like _this._ I wanted to disappear.

We stood on the top floor in a massive five story building with thick walls made of steel alloy and concrete. There were no windows in this particular room, but some in the hallways that overlooked the training facility. The weapon was in the shape of a bomb, made of papier-mâché and hollow, but towered over us and did its job in acting as a prop for this training session.

I plodded over towards it and slammed my hands on the ground. Underneath and around the weapon, the floor upturned, shifting and morphing until it turned transparent and lifted up to encase the weapon in a thick dome.

"The fuck are you doing?" Bakugo barked. I turned to him, letting out a quiet breath.

"Polymethyl methacrylate," I said, noticing the confused expression on his face. "Acrylic glass. It's sturdy and shatter resistant, so in case either of them arrive, it won't be easy to break."

Bakugo responded by rolling his eyes and turning on his heel, but it was better than being cursed at. I decided to just roll with the punches. I thought about what Momo would do if she was in this situation. Surely, she would remain calm, choose each word carefully, balance the tone of her voice with caution. She would command attention and, like the leader she is, demand Bakugo's respect because it would probably be the one thing that could help them win.

But I was not Momo.

I didn't have her natural confidence and leadership abilities that got her as far as it did. The only thing we shared were looks and the only thing that brought me was compliments and comparisons. I was nothing compared to her.

And yet.

"_I want to be a star."_

And yet a small part of me, still holding onto that hope that I could one day be something more prevented me from giving up and giving in. I wanted to save people. I wanted to make others smile. I wanted to mean something to someone, to have a purpose, to feel like I belonged, more than anything, _god_, more than _anything—_

_I wanted to be a hero._

It was a nettling feeling, this determination. It pricked and plucked at me and only intensified when these feelings of dejection crawled inside me, implanted seeds of doubt into the back of my head until it grew like a mighty forest, vines of self loathing and dubiety stretching out and wrapping around me. It was only because of these small jolts that I remembered what it was like to have someone be proud of me, to recall a faint voice whispering _you can do it, Ume_ behind my ear. And during the worst of times, these sprinkling sensations reminded me that it was never my parents or Momo, Miss Lila or Saiko or anyone else who told me these small hopefuls.

It was always me.

If I could do this, if I had any chance of victory, I would take it. I didn't need Bakugo's respect or Momo's attention. I didn't need the reassurances of my classmates or validation of my family. They were nice, yes, certainly a bonus, but with this subtle warmth flaring underneath my skin and bringing me back to life, I knew, deep down, there was one thing and one thing only that I needed, that I _ever_ needed.

Myself.

* * *

_I guess I have to face,_

_That in this awful place, _

_I shouldn't show a trace of doubt._

_But pulled against the grain,_

_I feel a little pain,_

_That I would rather do ... without._

_I'd rather be... free_

_From here..._

* * *

**A/N:**

In all truth I don't even like Steven Universe that much, but goddamn is the soundtrack amazing and describes Ume perfectly.

That aside, here we have a little bit of canon divergence, which will happen a bit in this story, but nothing so that the overall plot of MHA alters drastically. I knew I wanted to bring Shinso in early on, as well as an OC, Momo and Ume's aunt, who will play a bigger part in the story as it progresses uvu

I asked last chapter if you think it would be interesting to see if Ume is paired with someone else, and most agreed Bakugo is the best choice, but some also mentioned Todoroki and even Midoriya! So we'll see how that develops later on :^) As you can tell, this will be a slow burn, considering Bakugo and Ume kind of hate each other at this point in the story LOL

So the questions I have for you this time around are: Do you think Shinso was actually "flirting" with Ume, or was he just being snarky? And who do you think Saiko is married to? Of course, there are no actual hints to who her partner is (yet), but I'm still wondering if you guys have her own thoughts about her.

I'd also like to thank you all again for the amazing support I've gotten so far! I really can't thank you all enough for your favorites and follows, as well as your lovely reviews, which absolutely make my day reading them. Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you all next time!


	4. Crescendo

**Disclaimer: **I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**iv. crescendo**

—

* * *

I was six years old when I first met my aunt.

At the time I had never seen or heard of her, blissfully unaware of the fact she was my mother's younger sister. She was just a strange woman who approached me with a tender smile and equally warm eyes, an expression that scared me because I was so unused to it. She asked me about my Quirk and I immediately burst into tears because all it did was destroy.

She was thirty two. She was an everyday woman simply trying to make enough to feed herself and her young son, who, I heard, was around my age. I always remembered her with a darkened look in her eyes, like with each passing second she reminisced the stagnated state of her life; that she would never be able to live comfortably, always having to count her coins and create spreadsheets in order to figure out how she was going to spend her week's check. I don't remember her name— as a matter of fact, I don't think I've ever heard it. She was a cruel reminder of what the world is truly like.

I had a temper tantrum that day. I don't quite recall what I was even angry about, I just knew that I was. My hands, the same ones that destroyed everything they came into contact with, flailed around wildly as an outlet for my blind fury. And she— _she_, who always kept her distance, who never smiled too often in fear of her finite happiness slipping out, who stayed up late nights crunching numbers and singing forgotten lullabies to her young son, _she—_

_Why didn't she just stay away?_

That's when— and why— my aunt came into the picture. My Quirk "shut off" for a while after that, over a year actually, apparently because my emotional state, gone awry from the immense guilt I carried, prevented it from activating. When it suddenly flared back to life and the first thing I touched didn't disintegrate under my fingertips, my family knew we had to take baby steps from there.

I didn't want my Quirk to be like _that_ anymore. I just wanted to help people, to help them understand _life doesn't have to be this scary_, to be a source of safety and comfort to someone— even if it was just one person. I didn't want to believe that I was a bad person. I've been carrying the burden of my sin on my shoulders since then and to this day I still plead for forgiveness, but I—

"_The indoor battle between Bakugo Katsuki and Yaoyorozu Ume versus Midoriya Izuku and Uraraka Ochako shall begin!"_

I never want to hurt anyone like that again.

Bakugo didn't hesitate to burst out of the room. The door flung off its hinges and snapped in half upon making contact with the wall from the explosion he released to open it. I trailed behind him, stepping over the splinters that now littered the floor. I kept my distance, but ran fast enough so that I wouldn't lose track of him.

"Um, be careful," I called. "If Deku—"

"Shut the fuck up!"

I remained quiet. I held my tongue until we rounded a corner and Bakugo suddenly thrust a fist forward, a blast erupting from his palms so large I could feel the ground tremble beneath me. I dropped to a knee and looked up, but a cloud of smoke had enveloped the entire hallway, making it impossible to see what happened. I knew that this attack meant Midoriya and Uraraka were here, but _where _exactly were they?

"Oi, Deku!" Bakugo spat. "Don't dodge me, bastard. It's less fun when you do."

The cloud had settled and it was revealed that Midoriya and Uraraka had managed to avoid the blast, but not without Midoriya having suffered damage to his mask. My eyes travelled to the spot Bakugo had hit and there was a considerable sized hole, small chunks of debris falling to the ground. I gulped nervously. If Midoriya hadn't dodged—

"I figured you'd aim for me first, Kacchan!" Midoriya shouted in faltering confidence. He was quivering, but remained standing defensively in front of Uraraka. This didn't make Bakugo happy in the slightest.

He lunged forward with a fist reared back, more than ready to attack, but in a moment that felt like slow motion, Midoriya grabbed his arm, astounding the rest of us. With a mighty roar of effort, Bakugo was suddenly in the air, flipping over himself, and his back slammed against the floor with a large _thud_. I winced instinctively, Uraraka widened her eyes, and Midoriya panted heavily.

It was a moment of shock but this just meant that Midoriya wasn't as vulnerable as everyone— perhaps even including myself— thought. Having such a high risk Quirk naturally should've meant that he knew other forms of fighting in order to prevent relying on it, and I wanted to slap myself for not taking it into consideration earlier. But this was no time for self loathing or regrets.

"You usually start with a punch from your right, Kacchan," Midoriya panted through strained breaths. "Everything I wrote down about great heroes was in that notebook you blew up and threw away."

My throat tightened.

"My 'Deku' isn't always going to mean 'useless', Kacchan. My 'Deku' means _'you can do it'_!"

* * *

"You can do it."

I remember vividly the way my nerves felt like they were going to explode from all the fear and nervousness running through them. My fingertips stung with anxiety, still fresh with guilt and trepidation because in my hand laid a single piece of string but even that— a mere thread of yarn— was too much for me. I was so scared of destroying, and despite the fact it remained intact in the flesh of my palm, I was still so, _so_ scared.

"Just focus and think. You'll get it."

Gentle hands squeezed my shoulders.

"You can do this, Ume."

I looked up at her with tears in my eyes.

"How do you know?" I asked. "How do you know it won't just fall apart like everything else? Like _her_?"

"Because—"

She reached out and touched my palm. My heartbeat suddenly stopped and I stared wide eyed at the contact our skin was making. And when she didn't turn into a pile of ash by my feet, when I turned to her and she was still there, like the sun emerging from behind the clouds on a rainy day, my world became a bit brighter.

"Because you aren't a monster. This Quirk of yours is beautiful, Ume," she whispered. "Did you know that? You can become a hero. And I know that because _this_, everything you've gone through—"

I began crying before she even finished speaking.

"This isn't your destiny."

_You can do it, too._

I liked to think of people as words or concepts rather than personality traits. Momo, for example, is the sun. She is bright and warm and the light she emanates surrounds everyone around her like a comforting blanket. Miss Lila would be love. A very unconventional type— one consisting of calloused hands and broken Japanese and exasperated French— but it was a love that worked because it was only ever so pure.

Midoriya, though? He could be a lot of things. Passion, determination, spirit. But there was one thing that stood out as I looked at him and I saw behind his green eyes a hidden blanket of glimmering stars—

Midoriya was hope.

He was also bravery and kindness, but those are just components of what hope is. Because he, who had a Quirk like that, one that only ever seemed to bring pain, refused to let that define who he was. I'm sure Midoriya knew that being here— not just in this battle, but in this school, at Yūei— it shouldn't have happened, but in spite of everything it did. The universe and society and even his peers pegged everything against him, but Midoriya still stood tall, because he knew better than anyone that whatever everyone thought— that he couldn't be a hero, or his Quirk was too useless, or he would never be more than another soul— they were wrong and he _proved_ it.

He refused to make _that_ his destiny, and that? That spoke to me more than anything or anyone ever has. That's why witnessing him, _hope_, in a way I had never seen it before made me want to win this now more than ever. Because maybe, just _maybe_, if I could become strong like that, then I—

Then _I_ could prove them all wrong, too.

"Bakugo!" I shouted. My voice was harsh, almost like a growl, but there was something pumping in my veins, sending adrenaline to every part of my system. Bakugo was now stuck between Midoriya and Uraraka, and I knew this quickly would become a problem. The irate look in his eyes coupled with the clenching of his jaw all but told me that his anger was soon to take over his judgement and impair his fighting style. They could read him like an open book.

"Shut the fuck up!" Bakugo shouted back, firecrackers exploding from his fingertips. I defiantly shook my head.

"I have an id—"

"How many times do I have to tell you?! Are you deaf?!"

"Will you just—" I slammed my hands on the ground. "_Fucking_ listen to me, _asshole!_"

I knew I couldn't worry about my outburst or sore throat as the floor underneath my palms uplifted and elevated, sticking up like mountains and becoming displaced. Bakugo launched himself into the air with large explosions from his palm while Midoriya and Uraraka were swallowed up by the slabs of the ground that shined with a black sheen, now having become asphalt concrete. Bakugo landed, or rather, tumbled beside me, breaths heavy and uneven and filled with his rage. This made the fact he didn't say anything to me rather surprising.

"It isn't over," I spoke up, but as soon as I turned my head, small pellets of rock struck my body as an overwhelming gust of wind blew in our direction. Bakugo and I were flung back by the gale, and because I couldn't touch anything, I was unable to construct a shield or anything of the sort. I capsized over myself in mid air while all sorts of debris battered my body, and I suddenly felt the entirety of my weight crash into something else, quite literally knocking the breath out of me.

With my world whirling, I struggled to make sense of everything I was seeing and hearing until a low growl entered my ears. Crimson eyes bore into mine, Bakugo's expression full of vexation. It didn't take me very long to realize that I had crashed into him and I now laid on top of him in an infelicitous position that would've given anyone the impression that I was straddling him.

My face exploded in warmth and I scrambled off of him as quickly as I could, falling backwards over myself unceremoniously, while Bakugo just grumbled a string of expletives underneath his breath as he sat up.

"Motherfucker," he hissed, eyes pinning ahead. Deciding asking if he was okay was unnecessary, I followed his gaze and saw Midoriya doubling over on one knee, holding his finger close to his chest, one that was broken from the usage of his Quirk. Uraraka knelt beside him with a supportive hand on his back.

"Are you okay, Deku-kun?" she asked.

"I'm fine!" Midoriya quickly answered. Thanks to his rebound, the prison I had made for them had completely crumbled apart. The floor between us was a complete disaster, unable to be easily crossed. This meant they could easily retreat, and if I had considered the fact Midoriya really was reckless enough to use his Quirk in this way, I would've done something else.

My body suddenly moved before I could think and I scrambled ahead. My fingertips made contact with the ground and I swung my arm forward. The crater that had formed between us shifted and morphed, turning brown and splintering into a makeshift platform of wood that would make for easier access to the other side of the hallway.

"Uraraka-san, go!" Midoriya shouted. Uraraka hesitated for a bit, but trusted the tone in his voice in the same way anyone else would. She nodded and turned on her heel, racing down the hall, while Midoriya stumbled to his feet and followed after her.

"Come back here, bastard!" Bakugo shouted. Before he could chase after them, I stepped in front of him and held out my arms. Bakugo flinched at my actions and immediately glowered.

"What the fuck are you doing?!"

"Wait—" I said. "Let's corner them."

"What?"

"The building layout." I inhaled deeply through my teeth. "If two people walk around one side of the perimeter, they'll eventually meet in the center. Go after them, and I can swing around the other side and cut them off. And I'll catch them this time."

"Fuck off!" Bakugo slapped my arm. "Your great idea last time is the reason why they got away!"

"I know, and I'm _sorry_, but I need you to trust me."

"Why the hell should I?"

"Because I—" I pursed my lips. "I know you want to win this as badly as I do, Bakugo-san."

He sneered and ripped his gaze away as if debating on what to do, but he knew as well as I did that there was no time to consider the what ifs of this situation. He scoffed and moved past me, his shoulder pushing into mine.

"Fuck this up again and you're dead."

The last thing I heard was his blasts taking him away.

* * *

I was terrified.

As I ran through the dimmed halls the only thing on my mind was if I would be able to do it right this time. My plan was hardly that at all, hastily put together and would probably only work if the stars aligned and everything would just so happen to go in my favor. And while I had Bakugo for backup, I wasn't sure how far that would go before he'd lose his patience and fight on his own accord. I was scared.

But I wasn't alone.

In spite of Bakugo's unpleasant personality that made me want to rip my hair out, he was smart and calculating. He knew how to weigh his options and the only reason why he was so ready to fight against Midoriya was because he knew he had the skills needed to outmaneuver and overpower him. The winner in a one-on-one fight between them would be indisputable. That being said, I doubt he let this rest in my hands because he was desperate. Neither of us had reached that point yet. Someone with Bakugo's power and personality— no, they never got desperate.

_Did this mean he trusted me?_

My thoughts were interrupted by a massive explosion that rocked the building and threw me off balance. As I leaned against the wall to regain my footing, I snapped my head up knowing exactly what happened and still hoping it didn't. I sprinted down the hall where the smell of burning and toffee became stronger and stronger, wisps of black smoke coming from around the corner. _Oh, no._

"Deku-kun!"

I reached the end of the hall and turned. Uraraka and Midoriya were on the ground, the latter on all fours struggling to keep from collapsing. Bakugo stood before them, a twisted smirk on his face as he dropped his hand from one of the grenade-like gauntlets around his wrist.

"Damn… this thing stores a shit ton of power!" he exclaimed.

"_Young Bakugo, another attack like that, and I will be forced to disqualify your team,"_ All Might's voice echoed in our ear radios. My brow twitched.

"What did you do?!" I shouted.

"You were too slow! I found 'em and decided to do this shit on my own!" Bakugo retorted, not even looking over his shoulder. Not even looking at _me_. And this— this angered me, because it made me feel as if he thought he was too good to look at me. His _partner._

"I told you I had a plan—"

"Fuck your plans!"

"Why won't you just work with me, Bakugo?!"

He finally looked back.

"You're dead weight!"

I broke.

Without thinking about my actions, only feeling this sickening rage well up inside me, I threw my fist forward and it connected with his jaw. I cringed at the sudden pain that struck my pinkie, but I didn't care, because I was _so_ upset I could easily disregard any ache or discomfort. Bakugo stumbled back and looked me in the eyes, absolutely seething, his cheek slightly swollen.

"You fucking bitch!" he spat. "Who the fuck do you think you are, punching me?!"

"I'm your partner!" I shouted. I reached forward with the intention of grabbing his shirt, but he slapped my hand away and pulled back against my collar instead. I instinctively pushed my palm into his face, my nails digging into his skin, while he held his forearm against my throat.

"The world doesn't revolve around you!" I yelled. "Not everyone is going to bend over and listen to everything you say, no matter _how_ strong you are!"

"Don't fucking talk to me like I'm below you!"

"I _know_ you're not! I know you're far more capable than me, but I—"

With one final effort, I pushed back and staggered away from him.

"I want to be a hero, too!"

I wasn't even aware that I had begun shedding tears until I realized how hard it was to breathe. I touched my fingers to my cheeks and felt the dampness. Bakugo and I looked at each other, panting, emotions flying and crashing into each other. I felt ridiculous. Now was the worst of times to be like _this_, so tense and tempestuous and thinking so little of our surroundings. But I needed Bakugo to know, and to understand that no matter what I was here for the same reason as him, and no matter where that put our rankings or grades or personal egos, it meant, automatically, that we were equals.

Midoriya and Uraraka had managed to regain their strength by now, and stood in a defensive position before us, but they were injured and looked just as tired as we were. This meant that this was an endurance test, and if Bakugo and I wanted to win, we had to hold them off until time ran out.

"Oi."

Bakugo's voice demanded my attention. He looked at me and snorted.

"You're a pain in my ass."

I chuckled. "The feeling's mutual."

I immediately dropped my hands and the floor quickly became white and viscous, extending down the aisle to Uraraka and Midoriya. They stumbled backwards and Uraraka directed Midoriya to a slab from Bakugo's earlier explosion. They both climbed onto it and with a touch, the slab with them on top of it floated into the air and far out of the way of the adhesive that now covered the ground. Bakugo lowered his knees, but I stopped him before he could go any further.

"Bakugo! This is polyvinyl acetate— it becomes more viscous with heat, so be careful!"

"Eh?" Bakugo turned back to me. "Then if I fall, just fucking freeze it!"

I nodded and kept my hands firmly on the ground. The heat of his explosions radiated out to me, seeping into and diffusing throughout my skin. I watched as he flew through the air using the inertia of his blasts. Midoriya held his wrist out with his opposite hand, and I prepared myself for another tremendous blast, ready to form an iron shield, but Bakugo grabbed Midoriya's hand and flipped himself over onto the slab. He shoved Uraraka off with his foot, and I quickly moved to change a large spot of the adhesive into one of foam that she safely landed within.

I breathed out in relief to see that she was okay and quickly hurried over to her, creating solidified platforms to do so. As soon as I reached her, there was a twisting in my stomach that immediately made me feel dizzy.

"Wow, Yaoyorozu-chan!" Uraraka gasped. "Your Quirk is so cool!"

I forced a smile onto my face. "Thanks."

Fastened to my hip was a roll of tape that would be used to capture the other team. I grabbed it and quickly wrapped it around Uraraka's wrists, flashing an apologetic smile at her before I was struck with another bout of nausea. I covered my mouth with my hand and looked up at the floating piece of concrete where Bakugo and Midoriya still remained.

"What's going on?" Uraraka gasped.

"No id—"

My sentence was cut off when an explosion rang and Midoriya was suddenly thrown from the slab. I immediately rushed over and slammed my hands down, creating a bed of foam similar to the one Uraraka laid in to prevent Midoriya from getting hurt. Bakugo appeared by my side, palms glowing orange, and he looked down at me as I wrapped my arms around my abdomen in pain.

"The fuck is wrong with you?" he asked. I groaned, barely able to speak at all.

"Feel… sick…" I breathed out. In my peripheral I saw Midoriya still moving. He stood up from the bed of foam with labored breaths. His determination was more the admirable to me, especially because of his injuries, the most severe of which was his broken finger. _Hope incarnate_. I was still somehow able to smile.

"I'm never… giving up, Kacchan!" Midoriya proclaimed. "I'm not scared of you anymore!"

"You're fuckin' annoying," Bakugo growled. Midoriya lifted his hand, but the blond was in the air before anything else could happen. Midoriya stepped back, but immediately twisted his head in the unsteadiness of his footing due to the foam, and looked back ahead just as Bakugo reached forward, gripping his arm.

"You damn nerd!" he shouted. Releasing a series of quick, continuous blasts, Bakugo pivoted around on his heel, taking Midoriya with him, and mimicking the same move used against him earlier, he threw Midoriya forward and slammed him against the ground. Midoriya reeled from the ruthless attack, coughing harshly while Bakugo wrapped the capture tape around his hands.

"Bakugo…" The amount of relief that washed into me was so enormous, it brought me to my knees.

"_Time's up! The villain team consisting of Bakugo Katsuki and Yaoyorozu Ume… are the winners!"_

"We did it…"

Bakugo looked at me and smirked proudly. Before I could give a smile of my own, I leaned over to the side and hurled.

* * *

"You look terrible."

Kirishima was the first to greet me with the rather unwelcoming phrase as soon as Uraraka, Bakugo, and I stepped into the monitor room. Midoriya had been taken to Recovery Girl, the school nurse, but since the worst I was suffering from was nausea, it was ultimately decided that I didn't need treatment from her.

"Thanks," I murmured. It was so quiet I was debating if I said it at all, but Kirishima grinned and gave me a thumbs up, indicating he had somehow heard it. Momo rushed toward me with astonishing speed and scooped me into her arms, holding me close, but I gagged and she immediately loosened her grip. She examined me carefully, head bobbing up and down for any sign of injury, and I could practically feel her relief when she realized I was simply a bit queasy. A few scratches here and bruises there, but otherwise I was alright, and that was all she needed.

"Ume, I—" she started. "I was so worried! I was terrified for you the entire time, but you—"

"Were lovely."

I turned my head as Saiko approached me, a satisfied smile on her face. I knew for the sake of professionalism it wouldn't be a good idea to hug her— despite the fact I really, _really_ wanted to— so instead I leaned against Momo and sighed.

"Thank you," I muttered, still struggling to speak normally. My stomach was still knotting and churning, and my head was spinning, and though I felt absolutely awful I knew it could have been worse. The feeling would pass soon, anyway.

"Umerozu, you were awesome!" Mina cheered, grinning widely. "The way you used your Quirk was so badass!"

Standing near her, Tokoyami nodded. "I'm impressed with the sheer diversity of it. Your mastery of it rivals the level of Pro Heroes."

"Not only that, but your quick thinking preventing Uraraka-kun or Midoriya-san from getting injured any further," Iida added. I blushed at the praise, but All Might cleared his throat, silencing us for a moment.

"It's true that the battle was fought well on both sides. However, I'm sure some of you have criticisms for your classmates," he said.

"You and Bakugo-chan suddenly got into a fight," Tsuyu said, tipping her finger near her mouth. "It was kind of scary, ribbit."

"Yeah… at the very least, you were able to make up from it," Jiro added, stuffing her hands into her pockets.

"As a matter of fact, I would say your teamwork became stronger after it," Shoji said.

"I dunno how you did it, Umerozu, but good job taming that wild beast!" Sero chuckled, giving me a thumbs up, ignoring the dagger-like gaze Bakugo shot him.

"Uraraka-san and Midoriya-san also worked well together," Momo mentioned, placing her hand on my back. "They were able to synchronize their attacks well and never put each other in harm's way."

"Considering the fact they had to be on the defensive the entire time, they did pretty well," Kaminari grinned. Uraraka gasped and placed her hands on her cheeks.

"Thanks, guys!" she chirped.

"Young Bakugo, Young Yaoyorozu," All Might said, turning to us both. "As your classmates mentioned, the argument you got into put your objective in risk. It's important to work together and understand the cooperation needed!"

I nodded, glancing over at Saiko for a moment.

"You're right," I breathed out. "I was… angry and hasty and… I'm sorry, Bakugo-san. For yelling and attacking you."

I lowered my head to him. Bakugo's lip twitched, but he received a look from All Might, Saiko, and even Momo, and he eventually relented by sighing and shrugging his shoulders.

"Yeah, whatever," he grumbled. "You were okay, I guess."

I knew it was the closest thing to an apology or compliment I would get from him, so I decided to take it as it was— not praise, necessarily, but a truthful statement that was unapologetically him. In truth I could have stacked on more words to the apology, tears and a lengthy explanation as to what really triggered such a violent response, but I had already cried in front of him once, and I wasn't too keen on giving Bakugo more ammunition to hold something against me. I was ashamed enough as it was.

The rest of the day went on with me trying my absolute best not to throw up again, but after Saiko gave me a cup of tea and a slice of bread from the cafeteria to settle my stomach, I started to feel a bit better. I watched Momo's fight carefully, as carefully as I hoped she watched mine. She was paired with Iida, against Sero and Ojiro, and of course, she won. She returned with a hint of fatigue from the use of her Quirk, but was in much better shape than me at the end of my battle.

Midoriya came into the monitor room toward the final few matches, yawning loudly and chewing on a piece of candy he had been given by Recovery Girl after his treatment. I nudged him with my shoulder, smiling slightly when he turned to me.

"Are you okay?" I asked. Almost immediately, he brightened.

"Yeah!" he said quickly, nodding his head. "Recovery Girl was able to heal me, so I'm good to go!"

He showed me his bandaged finger and my smile became a bit wider.

"You were amazing, by the way," I said. "But you should be more careful with your Quirk."

"I know. I still have a long way to go with it," he sighed and looked at his hand.

"I'm sure you'll master it in due time."

Midoriya smiled. "Thanks, Yaoyo— I mean, er, Umerozu-san." His expression dimmed slightly. "That fight you had with Kacchan… everything you said, I feel the exact same way about," he admitted. I held my breath. "And then you started crying… I really understand your frustration, Umerozu-san. But I… I think you're amazing!"

I blushed and turned away, but I couldn't contain the smile on my face. I chuckled softly, rubbing my hands.

"When I was younger, I had no control over my Quirk," I quietly said. "It's powerful, yes, but it was too much power for a four year old. How could someone that young ever make sense of something like molecular manipulation?" I sighed. "I destroyed everything I touched. For a long time everyone around me regarded me as a villain and made me feel bad over something I hardly understood. I…"

My gaze flickered.

"I was a monster."

And everything darkened for a bit.

"My aunt helped me control it. Momo helped me a lot, too. And I despised my Quirk, but I realized that I _can_ become a hero. That I _wanted_ to become a hero."

I smiled softly.

"Thank you for believing in me, Deku."

His eyes glossed over like he was going to cry, but Midoriya blinked quickly and wiped whatever stray tears were going to form with the back of his hand.

"O-Of course!" he stammered. "We should support each other…!"

"Yes," I chuckled softly. "We certainly should."

* * *

The sun was setting by the time we were dismissed from school. Momo and I, having to wait to be picked up, sat on the steps of the school entrance. I leaned over and rested my head in her lap, trying my absolute best to withstand the very powerful temptations of sleep. We had said our goodbyes to Saiko earlier, after she took a moment to make sure we were alright.

"I'm tired," I muttered. Momo giggled.

"It's been a long day, hasn't it?" she asked, placing her hand on my forehead.

"Mhmm," I sounded quietly.

"Does your stomach still hurt?"

"No. I'm feeling a lot better now."

"That's wonderful to hear."

Momo and I sat in this silence for a bit longer, until we both heard footsteps dragging, coming closer and closer toward us. I lifted my head up from Momo's lap and looked over my shoulder, admittedly a bit surprised to see Bakugo. He caught my gaze and furrowed his brows, looking back and forth between Momo and I.

"The fuck?" he voiced. "There's two of you?"

"You're _just_ now noticing this?" Momo asked, raising a brow. I chuckled at the disappointed or perhaps offended tone in her voice.

"Don't start bitching at me," he grumbled and shoved his hands into his pockets. He walked past us, descending the stairs, but I suddenly stood up and called his name, prompting him to stop in his tracks and turn around to face me.

"Good work today," I said. Bakugo scoffed.

"You tryin' to get me to compliment you or something?"

"No, not at all."

As I said this, the limousine Momo and I were waiting for drove up to the entrance. Bakugo's eyes widened at the sight of the vehicle, and stared in disbelief as Momo and I walked toward him. When I reached the bottom step, I glanced back at him and brushed a strand of hair out of my face as a cool, gentle breeze blew.

"I'll admit, Bakugo-san, despite how much you upset me today, I—"

I smiled.

"I think… you're cool."

His lips curled upwards.

* * *

_"I actually like this idea. I love how Momo still loves her sister even when it seems that their parents don't. Ume has so much potential as a hero; it's just a crying shame that only Momo saw it before she went to UA. But after seeing the number of people in class 1-A; I presume she's replacing Mineta? As for their Aunt; I'm gonna take a wild guess and say she's either married to All Might, or she's married to another woman and that is what earned her family's ire." _— SulliMike23

Thank you! The funny thing is, this wasn't truly _my_ idea, but I'm happy I was able to execute it in a way you like! Momo and Ume's dynamic is certainly one of the more important character relationships in this story, and it's certainly going to evolve as time goes on. And, in actuality, I had planned for Mineta to still be in this, with Ume just being an "extra" (in her words), but I ended up forgetting about that specific plot point, and by the time I realized it, chapter 3 was out and I had to roll with the punches LOL

_"I FULLY support Bakugo x Ume... I really like how you've set up the foundations for their dynamic so far. For ex, I love the way she pays attention to Bakugo in the same way that Yaomomo pays attention to todoroki. I also feel like they will end up bettering each other in the end; bakugo becoming for understanding and ume becoming more confident. Great chapter! Thanks!" _— Choco-Latte64

Well, thank _you _for supporting me! And I'm glad you caught onto how Ume pays attention to Bakugo! It's a lot more subtle but if you notice how she tends to pick up on his behaviors (small glances, for example), it's more insightful than how she reacts to anyone else aside from maybe Momo.

_"Aw what a great chapter! I'm looking forwards to seeing how their aunt will influence the story, and I can't decide if I feel like she's married to All Might or if she's possibly married to All for One or someone evil. I thought Shinso was a little snarky like he canonly can be, but very interested by them, especially ume who probably didn't exude the usual pride up and coming heroes have. Tbh when she thought of her own quirk as a curse and when people would say stuff about her being a villain I thought back to Shinso. Also, I didn't think too much about him flirting until he said he would probably see her around, not mentioning Mina at all. I think it's cute and of course I loved the small reaction from Bakugou when Mina brought it up. Also loved the depth you gave to Mina and thought it was so cute Ume asked to call her that. Can't wait for more!" _— WoodbridgeWine

Thank you for your immense support! It's true that I wanted to make a connection between Ume and Shinso in terms of how she and others regarded her Quirk. I want it to be used as something that will help them relate to each other when he appears in the future (spoilers?). I also wanted to really develop the relationship between Ume and Mina, because she's actually one of my favorite characters, I just never have the chance to write about her a lot. They're as different as night and day but that's why they have a really good dynamic. Ume really admires Mina. I also find it interesting seeing so many people theorize that Saiko is married to All Might. Makes me wonder!

* * *

**A/N:**

First and foremost I want to thank you all for over 50 favorites and over 90 follows! That truly means so much to me. It makes me so happy seeing how many people genuinely enjoy this story. It's what motivates me to keep writing!

That aside, we have a bit of a tense chapter. I made it this way because I wanted to express that Ume isn't actually content with the treatment by her family and others around her. In truth, she's very frustrated and angered by it— she holds a _lot_ more negative feelings than she lets on or even admits— and this all blew up with Bakugo's words to her because they were just _so_ familiar. And she expressed it so negatively because she knew she could, as in, she wasn't speaking to her parents or anyone else. Bakugo was a bit of an outlet for her. I also wanted to reflect a bit on why Ume is treated the way she is, and it just isn't because she's an extra. She has a lot of inner conflicts but of course this will all be addressed as time goes on.

That being said, I'm glad I'm now able to develop her and Bakugo's relationship more now. But Ume's relationship with Midoriya is also very important, not to say there will be any romance involved (or will there?), but Midoriya is a big source of inspiration for Ume. I kind of wish I gave Saiko a more explicit role in this chapter, but I thought it would be better to show that through flashbacks. Like I said, she'll appear more in the future!

Sorry for such a long author's note, there's just a lot I wanted to talk about. Thank you so much for reading, and please don't hesitate to drop some feedback for your thoughts and analysis! See you later!


	5. Day by Night

**Disclaimer: **I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**v. day by night**

—

* * *

I loathed cherry red.

It was the color of my mother's lipstick. In the morning, after taking her lavender and cherry blossom bath, styling her hair into loose waves, and putting on one of the many expensive gowns she owned, she would stand in front of her mirror and begin to apply the day's makeup. Sometimes she would swipe sapphire over her eyelids, or lengthen her eyelashes with a careful flick of her wrist, or apply pale pink rouge to her high cheekbones. It often cycled depending on her mood but that bright red was the one thing that always remained constant. It was her favorite color.

Conversely, like me, my father also despised this shade of red. It was the same hue that colored his eyes when he drank a bit too much whiskey, the same one that colored his and mother's faces during one of their many heated arguments. Witnessing so many of their fights made me wonder if _this_ was what love was. Was it days of avoidance, refusing to talk to or even look at each other? Was it my mother's quiet sobs as she retreated to a room where she thought no one could hear her? Was it empty bottles of expensive bourbon that gathered in the corner as a reminder of the previous days' contempt?

How could love— something talked about so highly and wished by so many people— be this cruel?

I knew my mother was sick. I think Momo knew too, but simply refused to acknowledge it because it would just bring her closer to a reality I don't think she could handle. We're still so young, after all. My mother was able to hide this sickness of hers from the public because, well, she's an actress. She gets paid to lie.

When I was nine years old, I found my mother in the bathroom, slumped over the bathtub. Her face was pale and her skin felt colder than what I knew was normal. There was a bottle of powdery white circles scattered by her, some turned crimson from the fluid that dripped down her arm and fingertips, soaking my socks as I stepped over to her and shook her, screaming and crying and sobbing. Her lips parted slightly, coated and smudged with that same cherry red lipstick she always wore. Her head lolled to the side and her dim, dilated eyes finally looked at me.

"Momo…?"

I've hated that color ever since.

* * *

"You draw, Umerozu?"

I glanced up from my sketchbook, looking into Kirishima's ruby eyes. He grinned and slanted his body slightly to get a better look at the few lines that decorated the otherwise blank page. My lips curled up and I nodded. My hand instinctively brushed over the sketch, hiding it from his view. Kirishima furrowed his brows and tilted his head to the side.

"What's it of?" he asked. I stumbled nervously over my words, trying to explain what it was I attempted to emulate from my thoughts onto paper; it was just a girl, really, nothing extravagant or remarkable. I had planned to draw her in a bed of flowers like peonies and camellias and chrysanthemums.

"Just a girl," I said dismissively. I always felt a bit of hesitation when showing my drawings. I was always so careful and fretted over people's opinions, concerning myself with whatever criticisms they may have, even thinking that my art wasn't even worth showing another person. Kirishima took the liberty of leaning over my shoulder, but when he saw my hand still covering the drawing, he grabbed my wrist and lifted it so he could see what was on the page.

"Whoa," he sounded. I let out a short breath. "This looks amazing, Umerozu!"

It was unfinished. The girl's exposed face and neck remained center in the page with her hair sprawled out around her, and the tips gradually melted into the flowers I had begun to draw.

"Thanks, Kirishima-san," I said sheepishly.

"You think you can draw me?" he asked, blinking expectantly. I chuckled and lifted my shoulders into a shrug.

"Not unless you pay me," I joked. Kirishima's ecstatic expression quickly faded into dismay. I simpered quietly and shifted my gaze to the door as it slid open and Midoriya, Uraraka, and Iida stepped inside. They were all caught in a conversation, but as soon as Midoriya saw me, he gave me a short wave. I returned it with a smile.

Over time the rest of the class slowly began trickling in. Bakugo's entrance certainly didn't go unnoticed. He gave me a look, one that surprisingly wasn't mocking or derisive, and dropped in his seat in front of me, keeping his back towards me. It had been a few days since our mock battle and I've used that time to mull over the events that played out, namely the scuffle we had. I liked to consider myself an even tempered person. There wasn't a lot that upset me, but even if something did I could typically cool down quickly from it and remain calm.

That's what made thinking about that argument all the more agonizing. I was angry and frustrated and I had foolishly lashed out, and it was probably through a mixture of pity and Saiko's interference that we hadn't been immediately disqualified. I had put our victory at risk, and became the same person that infuriated me in the first place. I felt like an idiot.

My thoughts were promptly interrupted when Aizawa-sensei appeared in the doorway, looking exhausted as ever. He trod into the room with his hands stuffed in his pockets and turned to us, and sighed as if preparing for what he was going to say next, or rather, the reaction to those words.

"Today, we'll be choosing a class representative," he deadpanned. It only took a few moments for the entire class to erupt into chaos. I jumped in my seat from the sudden enthusiasm that everyone emitted. Several hands shot in the air and a cacophony of fervent voices all muddled into a singular mess as everyone tried to shout over one another to be chosen for the position.

"Everyone is so eager!" I heard Momo gasp. I looked back at her as beside her, Todoroki rested his elbow on the desk and propped his cheek against his fist.

"That isn't it," he said. "It's not the role, it's the title. That's all people want."

"Maybe you should be class representative, Todoroki-san," I suggested. He shook his head.

"Not interested," he responded plainly. I knew something like this was perfect for Momo. Being the class representative meant being the listener to the class and a voice to the school board. They would have to do their part in keeping the class organized and productive, be authoritative without being demanding, and find a balance between being a leader and being an equal.

"Everyone, quiet down!"

The clamoring ceased as Iida rose to his full height, looking over everyone with stern eyes. It was, quite frankly, very telling that he was able to silence the classroom with only his voice and mere presence.

"You must understand, this isn't a role for just anyone," he said, straightening his posture. "If we truly wish to apply a democracy to choose a leader, then I suggest we hold a vote! What do you think, Aizawa-sensei?"

"I don't care," our teacher replied. "Just choose before homeroom ends."

"Your hand is raised the highest, Iida!" Sero remarked, pointing an accusatory finger. Iida froze in place and promptly lowered his arm.

"We're still getting to know each other, so how can we trust that we'll choose the right person?" Asui asked, tapping her finger near her mouth, a quirk of hers that I've noticed.

"I trust Umerozu!" Mina said, grinning brightly at me. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sudden mention of my name.

"Oh, that's right!" Kirishima added. I was shocked when Uraraka bobbed her head in agreement.

"Yeah, Umerozu! You'd be great!"

"N-No, no!" I quickly said, waving my hands in front of me. "I-I couldn't take on such a position. Surely there are others better suited."

"Like who?" Kaminari asked, head sloped to the side in curiosity.

"Like Momo." I turned to her and smiled. "She's smart, reliable, and trustworthy. Not only that, but she's been the class representative in middle school. And I'm not saying that because she's my sister. She'd be an excellent candidate."

Momo gasped and cupped her hand over her mouth, her eyes glossing over with stray tears.

"Ume…"

"Or Deku," I continued. "He's dependable and well grounded. He's supportive of his friends, quick thinking, and has a strong sense of justice and morality."

I ignored Bakugo's scoff and glanced at Midoriya, who widened his eyes. His cheeks became painted in pink and he chuckled, scratching the back of his head as he tried to think of something to respond with. I smiled.

"Iida-san as well. I mean, he _was_ able to silence the class so easily, after all. It's obvious he cares a lot for his peers, and only ever has everyone's best interests in mind. And I know he puts his one hundred percent into everything. Personally, that is someone I would trust my voice and opinions with."

"Yaoyorozu-san…"

"You make excellent points," Tokoyami said, arms crossed over his chest. I brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes and, feeling a tap on my shoulder, I turned around, and Midoriya blinked at me.

"Why wouldn't you want to take the role, Umerozu-san?" he asked. I sighed quietly.

"Just because you _think_ someone is good doesn't mean they _are_," I explained. "And just because someone may be good doesn't mean they're the best. Whether or not I'd be a good representative doesn't matter because there are much better choices. That's all."

"That's pretty cool of you, Umerozu," Jiro chuckled. I blushed and quickly shook my head.

"I-It's only the truth!"

"Then I vote for Iida!" Kirishima declared. "Plus, he even looks the most like a class representative!"

"Me too!" Sero added.

"I, as well," Oijro said. The decision was almost unanimous in that regard. Iida gaped, meaning he certainly wasn't expecting such a positive response for him being chosen as the class representative, which was mildly surprising to me. He seemed so confident, but I suppose this only spoke as proof of the humility he had.

"What about vice rep?" Mina asked. This is when Midoriya stood up, smiling.

"I think it should be Yao— er, Momo," he said. "She's far more suited for it than I am."

"Do you really think so, Midoriya-san?" Momo asked. He nodded in firm confidence, eyes shifting towards me for a second as if looking for my approval. I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Very well, then. It's decided," Aizawa-sensei finally spoke. "Iida will be class representative, with Yaoyorozu as deputy class rep."

No one was expecting an applause, but it happened regardless. Iida gaped at me and bowed at his waist, thanking me in fifteen different ways in quick succession. Momo just smiled, almost on the verge of tears, I'm sure. Momo has always dreamt of being something more, not unlike me, but her ability to achieve said dream is what made it all the more special to her.

After the class had calmed down, we all returned to the typical routine of Aizawa continuing the rest of his homeroom announcements before leaving so Present Mic could begin to teach. Before he left, he mentioned an upcoming training session at an off campus facility; we were instructed to be prepared for the class, as it would compose of "something different". I was unsure of what exactly he meant by that, but I decided to heed his warning.

When the lunch bell rang, as soon as I rose to my feet, Momo practically jumped onto my back with enough force to throw me to the ground. I yelped as my world suddenly became a whirl of distorted colors. I felt like my vision inverted and I was suddenly on the ground with her weight on top of me and her unrestrained giggles echoing like a melody in my ears.

"M-Momo?" I sounded.

"Oi, what the fuck?"

I tilted my head up, and felt Momo's weight shift slightly, which meant she did the same. Bakugo stared down at us with an irked scowl on his face. Momo lifted herself up and held out her hand; I took it and she helped to pull me up.

"I apologize," she said, bowing her head. "Were you hurt, Bakugo-san?"

"No," he spat. "You would've been six feet underground if I was, though."

Momo rolled her eyes and took my hand, pulling me out of the room. My shoulder brushed against Bakugo's as we walked past him, and as we exited the door he yelled a rather exasperated _Don't fucking ignore me!_ Unfortunately for him, we did.

I was a bit surprised when Momo's hold on my wrist tightened, and her pace quickened as she led me to somewhere I knew wasn't the cafeteria. We rounded a few corners until we were in an isolated hall. I looked outside the window, able to see the looming shadow of Mount Fuji hidden behind a thin veil of clouds. Cars raced down the same street people walked on. I was quick to notice a rather large amount of people making their way to the front gates of Yūei, but before I could think more about it, I felt Momo's hand leave my own, and my skin tingled at the lack of contact.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, furrowing my brows. Momo looked at me, and then outside. There was an emptiness behind her eyes, the typical glint in them gone.

"Ume, I…" The sadness in her voice as alarmingly clear. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For what you did. Everyone was expecting you to take the role, and yet… you unselfishly allowed me to." Her lips curled upwards. "Thank you, Ume."

I saw the glossiness in her pupils; the tears the pooled in the corners of her eyes and if she didn't blink so furiously they would spill over. Momo hated showing her emotions in front of me. Growing up, we were taught to never express our true feelings; that as part of the Yaoyorozu family, we were only ever expected to keep our heads up and ignore any and everything that wasn't going to help us advance further.

This never worked for me, and my parents didn't very much care because I was the black sheep regardless. But Momo? She was the golden child. She was everything our parents wanted us to be. Her intelligence, beauty, and regality made her— dare I say it— perfect. But there was one simple, yet incredibly truth about her that I didn't realize until recently.

Being the golden child was a weight she couldn't possibly carry alone.

There was a time when we were young, eleven or so, where Momo and I had decided to play outside in the backyard after a storm had hit. The lawn was fresh with the rain that had recently fallen from the sky. The ground was wet with mud, and that crisp smell of a passing storm still lingered in the air. Momo and I shrieked and whooped making a mess of our clothes and ourselves without a single care in the world.

Not until our mother came.

She was _furious_.

She said nothing as she led us inside, but her entire face from her chin to her hairline was bathed in red, and her fists trembled in her subtle fury. She directed me with cold words to take a bath, not even looking at me because her gaze remained pinned on Momo. She yelled— _screamed_— creating scenarios in my sister's head about what would happen if paparazzi caught us, asking impossible questions like if she was trying to damage our mother's career, pacing back and forth until a depression formed in the floor and her pretty makeup was ruined by a river of tears. She collapsed to the floor and sobbed and Momo, who had to witness and _experience_ the entire thing, could only respond with a weak _I'm sorry._

Everything Momo did wasn't because she wanted to, but because she had no other choice but to. The legacy she was expected to carry, the name she had bring pride to, the type of person she was molded to be— not the Momo who wanted to love and laugh and _live _deeper than anything else in this world— but the Momo who lifted her chin and pushed back her shoulders and blinked away the tears that held her dreams in them. She couldn't reject those tears. She couldn't reject herself.

She latched onto my shoulders and cried.

Despite the fact we're twins, genetically the same person, I will never understand what it's like to be her. I will never understand the burden she carries on her shoulder and heart, and the loneliness she must feel as soon as we step into the borders of our home. I wasn't sure if I was to be angry or sad, but there is one thing I knew that was certain, the only thing that I absolutely had to be, whether we were laughing with each other or crying in the middle of an empty hallway—

I had to be here, for _her_. Because if there was thing Momo couldn't be, it was alone. Not like this.

Not when we were hurting.

* * *

The warmth that radiated from Momo's palm was similar, slightly more tender than the warmth emanating from Bakugo as I sat beside him. When we entered the cafeteria, she was able to convince me that she was alright, or rather, she _would_ be, because she would be sitting with her friends— Tsuyu, Hagakure, and Jiro— and though I was hellbent on insisting that I eat lunch with her, she was more adamant in letting me sit with Mina and the others.

"I love you, Ume," she whispered. There was a faint lift in her lips. Softly, I smiled.

"I love you more."

"What the fuck took you so long?" Bakugo scoffed. I glanced at him from the side.

"Nothing in particular," I answered with enough cheekiness to make his face twist into a frown. "I'm surprised you noticed, Bakugo-san. You ask that like you care that I was gone."

Firecrackers popped at his fingertips.

"I'll fucking kill you, fucking _Princess._"

Kaminari slammed his hands on the table. "How come _she_ gets a cute nickname and I'm Dunce Face?"

"Yeah! And you call me Flat Face, jerk!" Sero added. Mina nodded fervently.

"And I'm Raccoon Eyes! I wanna be called Princess, too!"

Kirishima was the only one who didn't object, either because Bakugo didn't give him a sobriquet, or because he just didn't care. Either way, he simply laughed at the commotion the blond's word choice created. While Mina, Sero, and Kaminari all shouted at Bakugo, who responded by releasing small explosions— not large enough to be seen, but enough so that it kept the three of them at bay— I looked at Kirishima and smiled.

"How have you been, Kirishima-san?" I asked. He blinked at me, as if surprised that I asked the question, and he laughed, throwing his hand up to the back of his neck and rubbing it.

"I ain't bad, Umerozu!" he said. His delayed response was unexpected and even a bit insightful— that we needed to be more aware of each other. It wasn't something enough people asked because it was something too many people didn't care about. The well being of others; whether or not they had smiled today; if they had eaten well or had yet to. After what happened with Momo I found myself more aware of my classmates and their feelings, too.

"What about you?" he returned, flashing his typical toothy grin.

"I've been fine, as well," I said, gingerly brushing my thumb over my cheek.

"Oh, that's—" Kirishima had to raise his voice above the noise. "You wanna go somewhere else?"

I giggled and nodded, Kirishima and I rising at the same time.

"Where the fuck are you two assholes going?" Bakugo yelled as we walked away, one foot on the table and the other on the chair he was sitting in. I'm not sure how he got to that position, but it made it so that everyone in the cafeteria could see him without an issue.

"We'll be back!" Kirishima called before turning to me. "So anyway, I was thinkin', Aizawa-sensei mentioned that we were gonna do some training in the future. What do you think was up with that?"

"I was wondering the same thing," I admitted. "It obviously has to do something relating to heroism. Since we did combat training already, we could be learning about rescuing. It's just as important an aspect to being a hero than fighting is."

Kirishima nodded, eyes glimmering. "Yeah, that makes sense! You're so smart, Umerozu!"

I chuckled and waved at him dismissively. We made our way over to the lunch line; Kirishima had already gotten food, but I'm sure he just wanted to keep me company. We passed the time by making small talk of nothing in particular. I learned Kirishima dyed his hair red before entering Yūei to emulate the style of the hero he admired, Crimson Riot.

"He's just so manly, ya know?! He even admitted to be scared whenever he's fighting villains, but he uses that as motivation to save lives!" Kirishima exclaimed, eyes lighting up like a child on Christmas. He grinned and pounded his fists together. "He's the type of hero I'm trying to be!"

"You can be like Benkei," I said.

"Oh, yeah! Benkei! Maybe that can be my hero name…"

I scrunched up my nose. "You want to be like Crimson Riot, right? Then you should have a name like his."

"Like… Carmine?"

I shook my head.

"Cardinal?"

"Mm-mm."

"Maroon!"

I smiled. "Just red."

Kirishima rubbed his chin in contemplation, and just a few moments later practically lit up, and gave me a thumbs up of approval.

"Yeah… Red Riot sounds great! Thanks, Umerozu!"

"Hmm? I didn't take you for the sociable type."

The voice spoke before I did. It was eerily familiar, stinging my ears and sending goosebumps up my skin. I turned around and onyx met amethyst. Shinso's teeth peeked through the slight parting of his lips as he smirked, staring down at me with derisiveness behind his gaze.

"S-Shinso-san," I spoke. "Um, hello."

"It's good to see you, Yaoyorozu-san," he responded. His eyes shifted to Kirishima, who looked between the both of us with a hint of bemusement.

"You guys know each other?"

"Yes."

"No."

What subsequently followed our contradictory responses was Shinso and I turning to each other. He maintained that slight lift in his lips, without a doubt trying to provoke. I made a mental note to be careful around him, considering he could activate his Quirk at any time and I would never know when until it actually happened.

"Well, my names Kirishima Eijiro!" he introduced. Shinso snorted.

"Shinso Hitoshi."

Before anything further could be said, the sudden blaring of a shrill alarm rang out throughout the entire cafeteria. Every head tilted upwards to the ceiling as red lights flashed ominously, flickering at a steady rate.

"_Attention!"_

We all paused.

"_There has been a level three security breach. All students, please evacuate promptly!"_

"Level three?" Kirishima voiced over the noise. "What does that even mean?"

There was no time to think about his question before everyone in the cafeteria simultaneously processed the announcement. Just a beat later, the entire space erupted into complete chaos. My footing faltered from the sudden hysteria that afflicted the hundreds of students within the cafeteria. I pressed my back against the wall as much as I could to get out of the path of the mob stampeding to the other side of the space where the emergency exit doors were located. I turned my head and my heart nearly skipped a beat when I realized Kirishima was no longer by my side.

"Kirishi—"

There was a tug on my wrist and I was yanked back just as a half dozen students crossed in front of me. My body reeled against another— the _only_ other— and Shinso's grip loosened when I looked up at him.

"S-Sorry—" I muttered and looked down. "I mean, thank you."

"Are you apologetic or grateful?" Shinso raised a brow. "Choose one."

I consciously decided not to respond to that and instead looked around, trying to make sense of my surroundings among the myriad of bodies that continuously entered and left my vision. I didn't know what to do; if I should call out for Momo; look for Kirishima; or stay with Shinso and hope the madness would pas over soon.

"The announcement said security breach, and asked us to evacuate," I started, turning to Shinso, trying to keep my tone firm to hide the mounds of anxiety I was feeling. "Does that mean someone has infiltrated the school?"

"Most likely," he muttered, eyes tapering into a glare. "You're perceptive as ever, Yaoyorozu."

"I—"

Shinso breathed out. "It makes me wonder where the teachers are. There's no one helping evacuation efforts or checking to make sure we all haven't been slaughtered by the villain who trespassed."

I winced at his rather macabre word choice, and diverted my gaze to the hallway containing the emergency exit doors. They had been blocked by students as scared and panicked as I was, everyone shoving and trying to move past each other in order to escape.

"Wait a minute."

I suddenly thought back to the hallway Momo took me to, where I caught a quick glimpse of the large crowd gathering at the front gates of the school. I pivoted on my heel and placed a hand on Shinso's arm.

"There _are_ no villains," I said. "There's people at the front of the school. Maybe media? All Might is a teacher here, so maybe they want to talk to him."

He snorted. "Or perhaps they heard the Yaoyorozu twins are attending and decided to get a closer look."

My lips faltered into a frown. "You don't have to be like that."

"Like what?"

"Like _that_. Provocative. This entire time, you've been mocking me to get a reaction out of me," I sighed. "I'm not sure if you have something against my family, but—"

I was promptly interrupted by an uproar consisting of the yelling of a familiar name. I turned around again, my eyes widening when I saw Iida tumble over himself in the air before unceremoniously planting himself above the emergency exit sign.

"Everyone, please calm down!" he yelled, his voice loud enough so that even I was able to clearly hear him. "It was only the media that triggered the alarm! There is no threat!"

I could physically feel the heavy air and tension lift once Iida made the announcement. It was though everyone breathed a singular sigh of relief, and slowly, but surely, a sense of order returned to the cafeteria as the hallway began to clear.

"Yaoyorozu."

I turned around at the calling of my name. Shinso looked at me, no longer smirking or glaring, but simply looking at me with his hands buried into his pockets.

"Yes?"

"You want to be a hero, don't you?"

I was unsure as to where this suddenly came from, but I slowly nodded.

"I see." He looked past me. "I came to Yūei because I wanted to become one, as well. I believe I mentioned to you that I failed the entrance exam due to the nature of my Quirk."

"It doesn't work on robots."

"It doesn't work on anything that isn't human," he said. He almost looked like he was going to sigh, but held it back for whatever reason. "Everyone used to tell me that my Quirk is rather troublesome."

"N-No," I said, shaking my head. "I can see how it can be useful. I think you should still work to become a hero."

He scoffed.

"Don't say those sorts of things just to make me feel better," he snapped. "It's disgusting."

"I'm not. I'm not, at _all_. I just— I understand where you're coming from."

"You were blessed with a Quirk that—"

"I _wasn't_."

He seemed surprised at the assertiveness of my voice, recoiling ever so slightly before relaxing his shoulders. I took in a deep breath and flicked a piece of hair out of my face.

"I get it, Shinso-san," I muttered. "I've hurt people with my Quirk. I used to despise it. But I…"

I batted away tears threatening to spill over. I had thought about and told this story a thousand times, but each time I did I always got like _this_. Emotional and ready to cry— because perhaps a small part of me was still in disbelief that despite everything my Quirk did, and _could_ do, people still saw it as something that could be used to save lives, to protect others, _to be a hero_. I knew what it was like to be ostracized and isolated because of a power I didn't ask for. But I held onto it, because I knew that it could be so much more than what everyone made me believe it was.

"I made it mine," I said. "It doesn't matter what your power is. And it doesn't matter what people think of it. If you want to be a hero, then no one else should dictate that for you."

I chuckled at the thought of how much I sounded like Midoriya.

"Your Quirk, Shinso-san—" I said. Confidently. Surely. "It's a beautiful thing."

His jaw clenched and his gaze softened. Shinso looked at me with such a weariness behind his eyes and it led me to wonder how long he's been told by others that his Quirk was something terrible.

"You're something else, Yaoyorozu," Shinso finally said. I spluttered nervously in an attempt to think of a response, but he quieted me by shaking his head. "I expect you to listen to your own words."

"As in…?"

"As in—" He smiled. "As in, I expect you to become the hero you know we'll both become."

I managed to return his smile with one of my own. I nodded, because that was all that was needed, and with a quiet goodbye, I walked past him, the familiar ripple of a connection resonating throughout my entire body.

* * *

"Emergency Exit Iida!"

This was apparently the new nickname our Class Representative was given due to small stint he pulled in the cafeteria. Kirishima, Kaminari, and Mina all whooped and cheered for him as he entered the classroom, face flushed in embarrassment. I gave him a thumbs up, giggling at my classmates' antics before taking my seat.

"Where the fuck did you and Shitty Hair go to?" Bakugo asked, turning around to face me.

"Hm?" I asked, having to take a moment to understand who he was referring to. "Kirishima-san?"

"That's what I said."

"You said—"

"Just answer the damn question!"

I sighed quietly and shrugged. "Nowhere," I said. "We were talking, and wanted to go somewhere quiet."

"You never came back," he muttered. "Those fucking idiots ruined the entire lunch period."

"Mhmm. It was a bit scary."

I looked back at Midoriya and asked about the event. He explained that Uraraka used her Quirk on Iida so that he would be able to get to where he stood at the emergency exit sign and clear the situation. In retrospect, it felt a bit silly to have acted so unheroic, considering the school we were attending and the careers we were aspiring towards.

After the school day ended, I said my goodbyes to everyone before linking my arm around Momo's as the both of us made our way out of the building. We were quiet the entire time, having only spoken to ask each other if we were okay during the incident I heard some students were calling the lunch rush. Even the ride home was spent in silence. As we came closer and closer to the gate that surrounded our home, there was a twisting feeling in my stomach and I questioned if Momo felt it, too.

Miss Lila was there to greet us when we stepped in through the doors of the mansion. Our mother was there to welcome us as well— _just_ our mother— wearing that same lipstick that I abhorred. She said nothing to us, simply staring with her bloodshot eyes, and she took a large, unladylike swig of the amber liquid that rested in a glass bottle in her hands. The air surrounding us was tense and suffocating. Suddenly, Momo shot her hand out and grabbed my wrist, pulling me away, because she needed to get away more than I did.

"Momo—"

"Please."

She stopped and the world stopped long with her. I pursed my lips.

"Please, just…"

I took her into my arms and allowed her head to rest on my shoulder. She sighed shakily, and wrapped her arms tightly around me, as though she couldn't afford to let me go, not at this point or any other.

"Okay."

* * *

_"aaah this is a super good fic and i rlly like it so far! it's interesting to see a momo's sister fic, and i'm loving the way you put her quirk together. that it adds to the negativity of her childhood is pretty interesting, and i can't wait for parallels w/ shigaraki to kick in (although i can definitely see some fma influence ;)) i'm also pretty interested in how her new popularity will influence momo's self esteem issues we see later. While ume's definitely got stuff going on the differences in their parents' treatment are probably enough to kind of blind her to momo's more insidious sort of insecurity. I definitely hope that their relationship with their parents will be addressed, as well as the golden child vs black sheep that's actually pretty textbook as far as narcissistic parents go."_ — Guest

Thanks so much for your support! Extra points for noticing the narcissistic parent upbringing! I was hoping someone would catch on sooner or later, haha. I think this chapter is starting to show the effects of Ume's sudden popularity, but it's a bit more subtle when compared to the other things brought up. I'm really excited to delve further into the development of their relationship!

_"THERE'S TWO OF YOU?!" wow, Bakugo, wow. Tunnel vision much? How do you overlook TWINS YA DORK?! Plot twist: Saiko is merried to Aizawa (now THAT would be something lol) or maybe Hawk if she isn't married to All Might. I ship Ume with so many people~ Bakugo, obviously, but also Kirishima because he is just so nice and understanding and motivating. Also Midoriya because, well, he is hope. He and Ume are both shy individuals, but that doesn't stop Midoriya from TRYING to help his classmates, and he is the one that normally notices things that others overlook... On top of that, he knows what it is like to be in someone else's shadow (Bakugo), so he could be a big source of development for Ume, even if they end up being platonic."_ — AmericaNidiot

Ohh, interesting guesses as to who Saiko is married to! You will definitely see in the future! Midoriya is mostly certainly a huge source of inspiration for Ume, and will continue to be a source of development for her, along with Kirishima. I guess Ume has strong shipping potential!

* * *

**A/N:**

I'm blown away by this story receiving _77 _favorites, _121_ follows, and _27_ reviews in such a short amount of time. It truly humbles me that so many people show interest in this story and my writing, and I hope I can continue to share with you all a story that has truly become something I can say I genuinely enjoy writing. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you!

That being said, I'm sorry for taking a bit longer with updating. I got caught up with school, and I also started writing the first chapter to another story I plan on publishing in the near future (Todoroki x OC). I was debating whether or not to reintroduce Shinso so early, but I couldn't stop thinking about them getting to understand each other a bit more, especially before the Sports Festival. I didn't want their relationship to remain antagonistic forever, haha, although Ume is still a bit wary around him. Maybe that'll change in the future!

I knew I wanted more interaction between Ume and Kirishima since she's spent more of her time with Mina. I wanted to give them their moment for their friendship to shine. I really like their dynamic, and I can't wait for it to develop further in the future.

I also wanted to mention I find it a bit funny that everyone compares Ume's Quirk to State Alchemists in Fullmetal Alchemist! The truth is, I had never watched that anime until after I posted chapter 3, and now I see the resemblance! Before then, I had no idea what the anime was about, and I only knew who Roy, Edward, and Alphonse were.

That's all I have to say for now, so I'll end this note here. Thank you for reading and supporting this story! Please don't hesitate to drop a review, and I'll see you later!


	6. Otherside

**Disclaimer: **I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**vi. otherside**

—

* * *

I had a nightmare. It was rather mundane in terms of what it was actually about. It lacked red eyed demons with teeth like daggers and claws that could rip apart anything it touched; there were no skull faced women or monsters kept within the darkest parts of my mind, only resurfacing now to torment me in a moment of vulnerability. This nightmare was far more personal and hurt me more than any beast could.

In the darkness of my dream, everything disappeared between my fingers. I tried calling out their names and holding them— Mina, Kirishima, Midoriya, Kaminari, Sero, Todoroki, even Bakugo— but all I had to do was brush my hand against their skin and they were gone, nothing more than a pile of ash remaining where they once stood.

"_Ume?"_

I whirled around at the sound of my name, in this space that was endless and eternal, a void that emulated the same darkness I thought I could find solace in. _She_ appeared before me— the woman who's name I didn't know but who's face I remembered so clearly because she was the last and most real thing I had ever destroyed. I told her I was sorry. I screamed and begged and sobbed, but she still looked at me and the only thing I could produce were tears. There was no sound. There was nothing.

Within this same dream I found myself taken back to a particular memory. I was just shy of turning four when my family and I took a trip to the shore. The July weather blessed us with a cool, crisp breeze that made me want to fall asleep and run to the edge of the earth at the same time. It was sunset when we arrived at the beach. My parents figured this would be the best time because there were less people and thus the moment would be more intimate.

Momo and I traced drawings in the sand. We made the sun and the moon; our mother and father; each other and the housemaids who roamed our massive halls. We stared out at the sight of the setting sun, one that painted the sky a brilliant blend of pink, yellow, and blue. And as the waves washed against our ankles, brushing sand over our feet and crashing against the edge of the beach, Momo turned to me with a look in her eyes, the faintest semblance of happiness, but—

With that came the realization this was not a memory.

And I was still dreaming.

I hardly remember getting out bed. I know I stumbled clumsily, my sheets still tangled between my feet and causing my unceremonious fall to the ground. I recalled not the pain, but the thought I would surely have a bruise in the morning. I don't remember entering Momo's room either, but I do know what happened afterwards.

I fell into her lap and without thinking, knowing, realizing, I sobbed.

I cried and cried for what must have been hours. As much as I hated it, I couldn't stop. Crying was a messy and unpleasant act. The wheezing gasps of air taken in between sobs, the way the cheeks and ears would turn red after just a few moments, the disgusting feeling of being dragged down afterwards— I despised it all and yet I couldn't _stop._

Momo said nothing the entire time. Between my desperate breaths her silence is what pierced the space between us. She allowed my tears to soak her bedsheets and I couldn't stop thinking how pathetic I felt.

"Ume? What's wrong?"

I couldn't tell her what was wrong because I didn't know. I didn't know if it was the nightmare or the feelings that came with it. I didn't know if it was because I was exhausted or overwhelmed. I didn't know if I was having a bad day or a bad _existence._ All I knew was that I was tired.

I was so, so tired.

When I held onto Momo, I did it because I needed to be reminded that she and everything else around me was real. I needed to know that I wasn't losing my mind, and whatever was happening, whatever _this_ was, was something that would pass. I held onto her because I didn't want to be alone. Her hand pressed against mine, and I felt her warmth like nothing else I had felt before. And yet, with my hands trembling—

They felt so cold.

* * *

"Are you okay, Ume?"

My head was pounding. I was almost positive taking a sledgehammer to the skull would hurt less. My eyes slowly traveled to the head of green to my side. Midoriya looked at me with a distressed expression clear on his face. He took a step toward me, as if wanting to get closer, but recoiled just as quickly and seemed to hold his breath. He gave a smile; I tried to return it, but all I could manage was a slight lift of my lips that could hardly even be seen.

"I'm fine," I fibbed. I know Midoriya didn't believe me. No one would. He took the chance to step forward again, and held out his arm, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"If something is wrong—" The confidence in his voice made me tremble. "You can talk to me."

I chuckled and placed my hand on his, allowing our hands to linger for a bit before removing it from my shoulder.

"I'm okay, Deku," I said. "But thank you."

I knew I looked like a mess. My hair wasn't brushed and fell down my shoulders and into my face in a disorderly fashion. My eyes were red and tear stains lined my cheeks. I felt disgusting. I kept my head lowered as the rest of the class trickled in, hoping they wouldn't see me in such an abysmal state, but the moment Aizawa-sensei stepped in class and reminded us of our off campus training, I immediately wanted to melt into my shoes.

"The fuck is wrong with you?"

It was, of course, none other than Bakugo who asked me this question. As I got up, he glared at me, mouth turned downward into a very noticeable scowl. I sighed and shook my head.

"Nothing," I muttered. "I'm fine."

"Get your shit together, damn Princess."

In spite of myself, my lips curled up. "You should find something else. That name is flattering."

My comment was met with his middle finger. I chuckled as I shambled out of the classroom. Momo grabbed my hand and the two of us made our way to the locker rooms to change into our hero costumes.

When we reached outside, it certainly came as a surprise to see Saiko standing near the bus beside Aizawa-sensei, who kept his head turned away as she continued to poke and prod at him, without a doubt getting on his nerves. She suddenly turned to us upon noticing us, and beamed, waving her hand.

"Hey, kids!" she greeted. Momo and I looked at each other, then back at her.

"Hi, aunt Saiko," we returned in unison as we approached her.

"Are you coming with us on this trip, too?" Momo asked, head tilted slightly to the side. Saiko nodded firmly, and planted a hand on her hip.

"I thought it would be fun!" she said, smiling. "Now go, get on the bus. We'll be leaving soon."

We were given no time to respond as Saiko practically shoved us toward the bus. I stepped inside, and saw Midoriya take his seat between Kirishima and Asui, but what made him stand out was the lack of green from the last time we put on our hero costumes.

"You're wearing your PE uniform, Deku?" I questioned.

"O-Oh, it's because my hero costume got torn up during combat training!" he stammered, chuckling nervously. I nodded in understanding, and as if on cue, Bakugo walked past me, his shoulder pushing into mine. I stumbled forward and looked up as he glanced over his shoulder.

"You're in the way, dumbass," he growled. I huffed and gently nudged Momo with my elbow.

"It seems manners have been lost upon this generation, haven't they, dear sister?" I said in a purposefully deriding tone. Understanding the message, Momo nodded and placed a hand on her chest.

"Indeed. It servers as an essential, albeit poignant reminder of the lessons mother and father taught us in our youth."

I nodded and deeply inhaled. "Oh, my… do you smell that, Momo? Where is that musky malodor coming from?"

"I smell it too, but I wish I could pinpoint the source. It's within our vicinity, but surely it couldn't be us?"

"Of course not! You and I know better than to allow ourselves to step outside with such unpleasantness."

"Ah, you're right, Ume! After all, we were given a lavender body wash, weren't we? I heard it was cultivated from Cape Verde. Considering it's in its most organic state, it must give off an aromatic ba—"

"Shut the fuck up!" Bakugo shouted, slamming his hand against one of the seats, scorching it as he left off an explosion. "You fucking bitches, I'm right here!"

"Oh… so it seems," I sighed. "Well, that can't the worst news I've ever heard."

"I'll fucking kill you."

My lips curled up. "I'd love to see you try, Bakugo-san."

From my side, Sero and Kaminari burst into laughter, pointing mocking fingers at the blond.

"You're so lame, dude!" the former said, hardly flinching when Bakugo aimed an explosion his way.

"Oi!" Aizawa-sensei barked as he climbed onto the bus. "Quit using your Quirks on here, or you'll be thrown out."

Momo and I smirked, and I decided to ignore the glare Bakugo sent our way as we moved to take our seats. Jiro chuckled as she walked past us to sit down behind us.

"I didn't know you guys could be so petty," she commented, raising a brow. Had it not been for her floating pair of gloves and boots, I would have had no idea it was Hagakure who giggled.

"Yeah! You guys are Pettyrozu!"

I chuckled. "The class really does enjoy making nicknames for us, don't they?"

"I don't mind. Considering our charming good looks, vast intellect, and overall allure—"

"You're both annoying as fuck," Bakugo chimed in.

"— How else will people tell us apart?"

I giggled quietly, keeping my hand close to my mouth, while Momo grabbed my arm and leaned into me.

"Are you feeling better, Ume?" she whispered. The corners of my mouth lifted into an unsuspecting smile.

"Yes," I said just as quietly. "Yes, I think so."

* * *

"Welcome to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint!"

A few stifled laughs erupted from my classmates at the uncanny, perhaps intentional resemblance this facility had to the famed amusement park. Momo and I had been there with our family when we were still young and able to ignore the tension between our mother and father. It was a day I remember clearly filled with smiles and laughter, a memory sprinkled with fondness and sentimentality for days that once were, that created a nondescript sense of yearning for what we had back then.

The Space Hero, Thirteen, greeted us with open arms and an enthusiastic voice. It was because of them, in tandem with the cooperation from Yūei and its sponsors, that this facility was brought to life. The various zones scattered throughout the entire area paralleled disasters that occured in real life all across the world— landslides; fires; shipwrecks; typhoons. All that and more.

"I wonder where All Might is…" I heard Saiko mutter absentmindedly. I turned to her, furrowing my brows.

"Was he supposed to be here?" I asked quietly. My aunt smiled and nodded.

"He was scheduled to oversee your class' rescue training today," she said, her face falling a bit. "I hope nothing happened."

"Well, we took precautions for that," Aizawa-sensei brought up. "It's part of the reason why we brought you, Shiftress."

Saiko smirked proudly at that, crossing her arms over her chest and puffing out her chest, to which Aizawa-sensei simply rolled his eyes at. The rest of the class, including myself, focused their attention to Thirteen, who cleared their throat before beginning to speak again.

"Before we begin, there are a few things I'd like to say," they mentioned. "I'm sure you're all aware of my Quirk, Black Hole, that allows me to suck up anything and turn it to dust."

Uraraka seemed to be the most zealous out of all of us, bobbing her head with fervency. The nature of Thirteen's Quirk that broke down everything caught in its range at an atomic level made it incredibly useful for the field of work Thirteen specialized in, but, conversely—

"It is a power that can kill easily. Some of you have Quirks like that, don't you?"

There was a beat of silence that settled within the empty spaces between us as we began to ponder Thirteen's words. I was far too familiar with their words, understanding the dangers of my Quirk if I wasn't careful. I knew it, I _experienced_ it, and it was the reason why I was all the more motivated to use this power to help others. _I want to be a hero._

The class erupted into cheers and applause. Midoriya's eyes glimmered brightly. Uraraka and Momo clapped. Mina and Kirishima threw a fist into the air. Even Bakugo seemed pleased, the smallest of smirks present on his face. It was a rallying speech that gave us and our dreams a newfound determination and meaning.

And then everything stopped.

The lights above us flickered on and off, then on again, before crackling and exploding, sending shards of glass flying everywhere. Todoroki was quick to put up a wall of ice to protect us from the debris before spinning on his heel.

"What's happening?" Saiko asked, eyes tapering into a sharp glare.

"The fountain!" Shoji called to attention. I twisted my head to the center plaza where the fountain was located. The water sputtered and stopped flowing completely, and just a moment later a black and purple swirl manifested in front of it. I held my breath as the swirl enlarged and became a fog, from which something came out of it. It was a hand, then a foot, then arms and then bodies— dozens of them, of which quickly became hundreds as more and more people spilled out from the darkness. I almost thought I was dreaming again, but Momo's hand gripped mine and I knew, immediately, that this wasn't a nightmare.

"Villains?" Kirishima asked. "But how could they—?"

"That lunch incident," Todoroki suddenly said. "They were ones who tripped the alarm."

"Are you saying someone infiltrated Yūei, and found out that we were going to be here?" Iida gasped in disbelief.

"No—" I spoke up, suddenly remembering Saiko's earlier musing. "No, they're not here for us. They… they want someone else."

"All Might," my aunt muttered. She and Aizawa-sensei stepped in between all of us, ready to take action without a moment of hesitation. Saiko looked over her shoulder, looking at us with a hardened gaze, not one out of desperation but out of a deep sense of duty.

"You all need to get out of here!" she shouted in a firm tone. "Thirteen, please take them to safety!"

"What about you two?" Midoriya asked.

"We'll handle them," Aizawa-sensei proclaimed. He reached into his scarf and produced a pair of golden goggles that he fastened over his eyes. "Kaminari, see if you can contact the school."

While my blond classmate threw his hand up to the communication device at his ear, Momo stepped forward, her brows knit perturbation.

"Considering no alarm has been set off, that means they were able to bypass the sensors, correct?" she asked. Kaminari nodded and heaved a defeated sigh.

"Yeah… I'm not getting any signal. Someone's probably blocking it," he said. I bit my lip. Each second that passed made this situation more and more grim. Looking at it now, we were trapped in a remote area far from the school, with only three Pro Heroes at our aid, one of which didn't specialize in combat. We were surrounded by hundreds of villains, and if they were bold and calculating enough to corner us like this, it also meant they wouldn't hesitate to attack should we try to escape.

Saiko and Aizawa-sensei didn't have any more time to waste as the villains lurched closer and closer toward us. My mind was spinning and my gut was churning with the prospects of this situation— what was going to happen, what _could_ happen, a series of unknowns that made my skin crawl in consternation. My heart was beating like a mighty drum, and when I glanced over at my classmates, I saw the same worried expression on all their faces. Momo looked at me. Somehow, I felt her fear as though it were my own.

I dropped to my knee and placed my hands on the ground. Underneath my fingers, a large square shifted and morphed, and became silver, lustrous, and cold to the touch. Saiko pivoted on her heel and grinned upon seeing the new element I created.

"Duplex stainless steel, thirty two percent chromium and five percent molybdenum content. It's exactly fifty-fifty austenite and ferrite," I quickly said. "If you're going to fight, Shiftress, please use this."

"Excellent thinking, Ume!" Momo praised. Saiko knelt down and touched her hand onto the square of steel. Almost immediately after she did, every part of her body became coated in a metallic sheen. She curled her fingers into a tight fist and nodded at me.

"Thanks, Ume," she said. Nothing else followed as she and Aizawa-sensei lunged forward.

"Everyone, please follow me to the exit!" Thirteen shouted. Without missing a beat, we all turned and began to run for the exit, not daring to look back, and perhaps not needing to as the sounds of a battle erupted from behind us. I grabbed Momo's hand for reassurance, for comfort, a silent message that would be proof that we were still alive.

"Iida-kun!" Midoriya shouted. "Do you think you can run to the school to get help?"

"What?" Iida asked, suddenly stopping in his tracks. "And leave the rest of you here to fend for yourselves? Absolutely not!"

"Iida-san, please don't worry about us!" Momo said, squeezing my hand.

"If you alert the school of our current situation, there is a higher chance we will make it out of this safely—" Tokoyami said, cutting himself off, no longer needing to continue the same thing we were all thinking.

"This is what we're being trained to do!" Mina added. "Heroes face scary stuff like this all the time… if we can't handle this, then what are we even here for?!"

"Everyone is right," I said, looking at Iida. "As Class Representative, _you_ are the one we entrust our safety to, Iida-san. Let us help you so that you can help us."

Iida seemed to debate the authenticity of our words; if we were saying them to comfort him, or because we believed them down to the core of our very beings. He came to his conclusion quickly though, and I know he did because he scanned us all and gave a firm nod.

"Very well!"

He stopped just as quickly as he turned— we all did— and we stared at the emergence of the black mist from earlier manifesting in front of us. We had only made it about halfway to the exit, which meant the villains truly did have something for us to prevent our escape.

"I won't let you."

"Who are you?" Momo shouted, keeping herself pressed against me.

"We are the League of Villains," the mist announced. "Nice to meet you. We have invited ourselves in the home of heroes, Yūei, in order to ensure the Symbol of Peace, All Might, takes his final breath."

Midoriya quailed at the proclamation, one that was even more terrifying due to the sheer confidence in his voice. The darkness of the mist that made up his body was far too familiar, and the piercing golden orbs that served as his eyes was almost suffocating, especially when he looked at us, _all_ of us, and I immediately realized what their plan was. If they couldn't get All Might from their presence alone, then surely they could gain his attention from the next best, or perhaps _worst_ thing.

_Us._

"Motherfucker!"

I reacted almost instinctively to Bakugo's voice. I slammed my hands on the ground and the floor trembled before surging upward, creating a makeshift ramp that both he and Kirishima ran up and leapt off of, preparing their own respective attacks. As soon as their feet left the platform, it changed again, this time collapsing and then rearranging to form a shield that protected us from the massive explosion that rang out and sent a breeze of hot air and smoke towards us. I dropped the shield as Bakugo and Kirishima landed in front of us. The confident smirks they carried soon melted as soon as we saw the mist reform before our very eyes.

"My, my, that was close…" the villain sounded.

"What the fuck?" Bakugo scowled.

"It seems he doesn't have a tangible form," Momo gulped. "Or, at the very least, he doesn't when his warp is activated."

"Damn, talk about annoying," Sero hissed.

"You may all be children, but you already prove yourselves to be one of the elites," the mist said, those golden eyes appearing again. I recoiled, watching the mist like a dancing flame. "My job now is to scatter you all and bring about your deaths!"

It was like a gale blew toward us, threatening to topple us over. Before I could form a barrier of any kind, the mist reached out toward all of us, engulfing and surrounding us in darkness. I could barely hear Momo call out my name in the chaos; the grip of her hand slipped, no matter how tightly I held onto it. I squeezed my eyes shut and begged that this would all be over soon, her voice and everything else becoming more and more like a distant echo until everything was gone, and suddenly—

I was alone again.

* * *

I thought about the worst things that could have happened between all of _this_, and I concluded that Momo or any of my friends dying would have been the absolute worst thing that could have come out of this situation. The fear that subsequently followed this thought was more than enough to override the searing pain that rippled throughout my body, not made any better by _whatever_ it was I had landed upon.

"Fucking piece of shit—"

My body was suddenly thrown to the ground, and I released a loud groan as a result, only able to open my eyes after a few more grueling moments. I looked around and instantly recognized the fact I was on a sloped surface, which told me that I had been transported to the landslide zone. It didn't take very long for Bakugo to enter my vision, which was further graced with a body of white. Todoroki and Bakugo looked at each other, then at me, the former blinking and the latter scowling. One was indifferent and the other was completely livid. And the third was struggling to even stand up.

"Why the fuck am I stuck with _you_ again?" Bakugo spat, gesturing toward me as Todoroki walked over to me and helped me up.

"This is probably the best matchup, all things considered," I spoke before uttering a small thank you to my heterochromatic classmate. "You and I have an understanding of each other, at the very least, Bakugo-san."

"I understand you're a pain in my ass."

I rolled my eyes. "We both know how the other fights." I turned to Todoroki. "So then—"

My thought was promptly cut off as soon as I noticed the mob of villains tramp toward us, keeping their positions low as they took cautionary steps toward us. Rime gathered in Todoroki's palm, and Bakugo stepped forward, hands glowing orange, but I held my arm out in front of him before he could move.

He glowered at me, but I jerked my head in Todoroki's direction, the both of us watching as he stomped on the ground and sent a flurry of ice in the villain's direction. Frost encased their feet and slowly crept up their bodies, totally encasing them like statues, preventing their movements.

"Fuckin' half-and-half bastard," Bakugo grumbled. I sighed, but I only took a step forward before I heard what sounded like something skidding across the ground, and I whirled around just in time to see a villain spring at us with his arm transforming into a pointed blade.

"Bakugo!" I shouted. My body moved before anything else, and I held out my arms, tackling him to the ground. I felt the tip of the blade graze my cheek as we fell to the ground. I found myself staring into Bakugo's crimson eyes, and the pink that tinged my cheeks, I'm sure, was unable to be hid.

"That was pretty close," the villain chuckled, aiming his blade at us. "Next time, I won't miss."

He brought his arm back, but only got so far before he was encased his ice, his eyes widening in shock at the sudden bitter coldness that fell over his skin.

"Are you okay?" Todoroki asked. Realizing I was still on top of Bakugo, I scrambled off him as quickly as I could and brushed my hands over my leotard. Bakugo was uncharacteristically quiet, and the three of us regrouped, deciding it was safe while the villains were frozen.

"Among all the villains, only four or five of them looked dangerous," Todoroki noted. "These guys are hardly a threat."

"So what, they're just a bunch of lowlife fuckers?" Bakugo asked. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief at the fact he seemed to brush off what just happened, but considering the situation we were caught in, I figured it would only be appropriate if he did.

"Yeah. Which means we should start making our way to the others," Todoroki said.

"Do you think Momo is okay?" I furrowed my brows. "Is she safe? I need to see her— you don't think she's hurt, do you?"

"Dumbass," Bakugo snorted. "We just said these are just two bit bastards. If she couldn't hold them off, she wouldn't fucking be here."

I almost yelled at him in her defense, but I held back, realizing the meaning behind his words. I was already aware Bakugo didn't do compliments or anything of the like, but between the frenzied state of my mind it slowly dawned on me what he was trying to say. I looked at him, and he returned it with a lift of the brow.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said, shaking my head. "Let's go."

The three of us traversed down the mountainside. I used my Quirk to create a path between the ice so we wouldn't slip. The thought of Momo's safety and wellbeing continued to enter my head, looping in between my other thoughts and settling itself into the front of my mind firmly. I continuously fluctuated between worrying over her and believing that she would be okay, and it forced me to use Bakugo's unconventional words as reassurance. I thought I was going crazy.

"Hey, guys—"

I gasped when something suddenly grabbed my ankle, forcing me to stop in my tracks. My heart leapt out of my chest as I looked down, and I found myself falling to the ground. My abdomen took a majority of the impact but I still found the air quite literally torn out of my body. The villain pressed his knee between my shoulder blades and twisted one of my arms behind my back.

"Yaoyorozu!" Todoroki called. I snapped my head up and shouted his name just as another villain emerged from the ground, whose hands became surrounded in bright red flames. The ice Todoroki created melted within seconds, and before I could see what happened next, my head was forced to the ground. I heard explosions and a string of obscenities spill from Bakugo's mouth, but that was all drowned out by the growl beside my ear.

"You kids are annoying," the villain hissed. "It's our job to kill you, so I'll do just that."

My breathing became heavy. I felt the tears gather in the corner of my eyes before spilling over like pathetic streams. I wanted to fight back, but it's as though my entire body suddenly seized, refusing to move at all, and it was driving me mad. His fingers dug into my scalp and I let out a scream at the pain that followed— and then the fear, and then the anger.

"Let me go!" I shouted. "Let me go, let me _go!"_

"Stop moving, you stupid girl!"

"Bakugo! Todoroki!"

I didn't hear them and I immediately thought the worst. I started screaming and flailing and crying more and more because my classmates, my _friends_— were they gone? They couldn't be, I didn't want to believe it, but each passing second of silence was making me so much more paranoid and so much more upset.

"Let go of me!" I shouted again. I pulled against his hold and managed to get my hand free. Everything was blurry behind my tears but my fingers brushed against the villain's leg, and his weight instantly lifted off my back. I scrambled to my feet as quickly as I could and I watched, silently, as his leg and then the rest of his body slowly began to crumble apart. His jaw dropped open and he stared at me with wide, terrified eyes.

"What did you do?!" he yelled. "What the fu—"

He turned to ash before he could finish.

I turned around as quickly as I could and choked on my breath when I saw Bakugo and Todoroki on the ground with two other villains standing over them. This anger came again, that sickening feeling that was like molasses flowing through my veins, or maybe lava, slow and scorching and making my body feel like lead. My body lunged forward with the overwhelming desire to protect them surging through every part of my body like an angry geyser.

"_Let them go!"_

My hands pushed into the villains' chests and they fell over, becoming dust before they even hit the ground. I tripped over myself and tumbled to the ground because right after that moment, I realized—

I did it again.

Todoroki and Bakugo moved a few moments later, and lifted themselves up, both of them looking around like they were in a daze. There was a trail of blood trickling down the blond's face, but the moment I saw it I only began to cry harder.

"What the fuck?" Bakugo voiced. "Oi, why the hell are you crying?"

"Where are…?"

Todoroki glanced at me. I buried my face into my hands because I was _so_ ashamed and _so_ disgusted, and I couldn't breathe, and I did _it_ again. They were gone, faded and scattered into ash just like _her_, and—

_God._

_I'm a monster._

"Yaoyorozu, what happened?" Todoroki asked. "Were you hurt? One of those guys who ambushed had some kind of Quirk that could control us—"

"I'll fucking kill him if I see him again," Bakugo growled.

"I d-did something t-terrible," I gasped between sobs. "I'm s-sorry, I was angry a-and I thought— I didn't mean to, I'm s-so _sorry._"

"Calm down," Todoroki said, furrowing his brows, perhaps understanding what I was trying to say, or at least what I did. "Yaoyorozu, you only did what you had to do to help us. At the end of it, it was either us or them."

"Oi, cut that pity party shit out. It's annoying as fuck," Bakugo huffed.

"B-Bakugo-san…"

"Eh? Don't say my name when you're sniveling like that, asshole! It's fucking gross!"

I nodded and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. I looked between the both of them, feeling absolutely ridiculous for breaking down like this. I didn't know if I was just being dramatic or if maybe my feelings were justified in the long run, but I knew I had to get myself together and _not_ be a burden to them. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down, and when the tears stopped falling, I was able to get to my feet. Todoroki and Bakugo did the same, with the latter stumbling a bit, but before he continued forward, I grabbed his forearm and stopped him.

"What the fuck is it _now_?" he inquired impatiently. I said nothing as I placed my hand on his forehead. I noticed the relaxing of his shoulders as I used my Quirk to help close up his wound.

"You can do that?" he asked, creasing his brows together.

"Yes. My Quirk isn't limited to inorganic things."

"Eh? Couldn't you just hurt yourself, then?"

I shook my head. "I'm the only thing my Quirk doesn't work on. It's probably because my brain subconsciously prevents me from using it on myself. It's the same reason why you can't bite your own finger off— it's a defense mechanism."

Bakugo scoffed. "I didn't ask for all of that extra shit," he muttered before walking away. I sighed and trailed after him, but he stopped after a few steps and finally turned around so that crimson met onyx and his expression softened, a look on his face I didn't even think he could carry.

"I don't wanna admit it, but—" He clicked his tongue. "Half-and-half bastard was right. It was either them or us."

"... Bakugo-san?"

"Tell _anyone_ about this and you're fucking dead."

"Okay," I murmured. "I won't."

Somehow, I felt slightly more secure.

* * *

The landslide zone put us near the shipwreck zone. Todoroki, Bakugo, and I carefully crossed the area, remaining by the water's edge to avoid detection from any lurking villains. I could hear the sounds of fighting in the distance, but I couldn't quite figure out where Saiko and Aizawa-sensei were, which put me in a state of both ease and distress. I thought of trying to find some others so we could all get to safety together, but—

"Ume!"

I whipped around and my eyes widened at the sight of black hair belonging to my sister. I practically sprinted to her open arms, and collapsed into her embrace, hugging her tighter than anyone or anything I've ever hugged before. My heart was thumping wildly and my limbs felt like jello, but at the very least, _she_ was okay, and for now that was all I needed.

"Oh my goodness," she gasped, pulling away to get a better glimpse at me. "I'm so glad you're okay, Ume, I was so worried, I'm so _relieved_."

"I know," I said, taking her hand. "I'm okay, I promise. Are you? Were you hurt?"

She shook her head, droplets of water flying from her head when she did so, and from over her shoulder I saw Asui and Midoriya running towards us. The tremendous amount of relief I felt compelled me to peel away from Momo and grab the both of them into my arms, pulling them closer to me just as a reminder that there was something good that came out of this otherwise horrible situation.

"I'm so glad," I whispered. "Thank goodness you guys are okay."

This moment of comfort had been interrupted when Bakugo barked for our attention. We all turned to him, and then in the direction he was looking, and I had to steady myself against Midoriya to prevent myself from collapsing of the sight of whatever _that_ thing was.

It was like some mixture of a human and a monster; dark blue skin split in several areas that exposed the bulging muscle underneath; a beak-like mouth that contained teeth like blade daggers; an exposed brain and bulging eyes that immediately set upon us. I lost my breath. This is a nightmare.

_This has to be a nightmare._

"Where… are aunt Saiko and Aizawa-sensei?" Momo asked, furrowing her brows. I found myself asking the same question, and _something_ impelled me to look back to where that monster was. From behind it, a man emerged, shaggy blue hair falling down his face and shoulders, with several detached hands on his arms, shoulders, and torso, the largest of which was on his face. Whether it was because of his unsettling appearance or the mere fact he was a villain, there was something about him that made my stomach twist into knots and then drop.

"Kids…?" he rasped. "When did kids get here?"

Bakugo, as always, was ready to fight, hands ready to blast this man and maybe even the monster into next week. I saw the smirk slowly crawl onto his face and his stance lower, but I shot out my arm to stop him before he could move.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he growled.

"_Don't,"_ I said lowly, my hand trembling against his skin. "Aizawa-sensei and Saiko aren't—"

"Eraserhead? Are you talking about Eraserhead?" the blue haired man asked, the curt tone of his voice directing our attention to him. "Ah, that other lady, too. They were so cool!"

All he did was step to the side, and for a moment, all sensations were lost. I had to steady myself against Midoriya when I saw Aizawa-sensei, laying in a pool of blood, his body a mangled mess of broken bones and lacerations. Just a few feet away from him laid Saiko, motionless and sprawled across the ground, her white headband now stained with crimson. I had to bite my hand to keep from screaming in horror.

"Aizawa-sensei…" Midoriya gasped into my ear. The blue haired man clicked his tongue and then pinned his gaze on us, like he knew, he just _knew_—

"Game over."

He dashed towards us at an astonishing speed, hand outstretched and ready to attack. I was frozen in fear, unable to move, remaining still like a statue and waiting for him to come closer, to end us—

"Ume!"

I hadn't realized my eyes were squeezed shut until they snapped open and Midoriya was suddenly in front of me, holding his wrist with his opposite hand, his finger pulled back.

_"Smash!"_

The recoil from his attack made him skid back across the ground, and I placed my hands on his shoulders to keep him steady as the powerful gale of wind quite literally blasted away the villain, and anyone else caught in its vicinity.

"Yaoyorozu, Asui! Go grab Aizawa-sensei and Shiftress! Get them to safety!" Todoroki shouted.

"R-Right!" Momo responded with a nod. She looked at me for a split second, perhaps looking for some sort of consolation in my eyes, knowing she couldn't find any anywhere else.

"Go," I whispered.

She and Asui ran.

"You brats are so annoying…" the blue haired man groaned from where he landed. "Annoying… annoying…"

He lifted himself off the ground, the large hand that obscured his face now gone. He scratched at his neck, again and again, the sound making my blood curdle because it sounded like he was moments away from ripping his skin off.

"Nomu…"

I saw the twitch in that creature's head. Todoroki must have, too; he sent glaciers of ice surging towards the creature as it rushed toward us at an almost inhumane speed, but it simply swung its fists and bashed through the ice with ease. My heart thumped painfully against my chest. I wanted to scream and cry and wish this would all end. But I knew that I had to move, I had to do _something_, to protect not only me but my friends as well. Something. _Anything._

I slammed my hands on the ground and spikes from beneath the surface shot up with ferocity, an aisle of stalagmites racing toward the Nomu and stopping it in its tracks as it was pierced by several of them. The sound it released, a mixture of a growl and whine, warbling like a beast yet carrying the faintest trace of a human, made my skin crawl.

"Oi, Princess!" Bakugo shouted. "Can't you just fucking disintegrate that thing?!"

"It's too dangerous," Todoroki said, something I was grateful for because in that moment I couldn't speak. I shifted my eyes to the side and saw Momo and Asui carrying Aizawa-sensei and Saiko on platforms my sister most likely made. They were safe, at the very least. Safe, from danger, and even if I died now, at least _they_ would live on. And I didn't want it to end now— not while hearing the sound of solid rock cracking and breaking, not after, I wanted to live on and be a hero, but—

_Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made._

And if I had to be that, then—

_"Move, bastard!"_

I was suddenly thrown to the ground by a force, and my hands, itching to grab _something_ found damp skin littered with goosebumps. I heard low panting that only could have belonged to one person, and I looked into his eyes just as the warmth emitting from his hands left my skin.

"You fucking idiot, are you trying to get killed?"

"N-No, I—"

Bakugo frowned and looked behind him, a smirk of relief coming to his face. I looked to see what exactly he was staring at, what it was what made him look like the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders, and when I saw it, I felt like I was having an out of body experience.

"Are you kids okay?!"

All Might was here.

* * *

All Might's figure stood before us, his arms crossed in front of him as he blocked an incoming attack from the Nomu. I saw a wavering in his position. But more than that, I saw that grin on his face— the one he always showed, never faltering, never ersatz. We all breathed out a sigh of relief, our hearts slightly more at ease now that the Symbol of Peace had arrived.

"All of you—" his voice boomed. "Thank you. Now get to safety, and let me handle the rest!"

We didn't have to be told twice. Todoroki rushed to help Midoriya up while Bakugo and I got to our feet, and the four of us ran as quickly as we could away from the scene. The blue haired man growled ferocious calls of anger, yelling something about a _game over,_ but my heart was pounding so loudly in my ears, and the adrenaline was rushing through my veins, I could barely hear him or anything else.

I looked back for a moment just in time to see All Might and Nomu exchange the first punch— the first punch that was like a whirlwind that threw us off balance. Trees were uprooted and the very ground crumbled beneath their feet. It was a power like none other I had seen before, and the gale became stronger and stronger with each blow they took and gave. I was completely unaware of how desperately I was clinging to Bakugo, clutching his hand so tightly it could have cut off his blood circulation, my body pressed against his. Todoroki threw up a wall of ice and the four of us gathered behind it, cold air battering against our bodies as All Might's voice roared triumphantly above the chaos.

If the world had ended now, I would've screamed for a reset. I would've cried for the lives lost, for the people who could never be, for those like us who had dreams that could split the sky in half. My dream was simple in every sense of the word. I wanted to be a hero.

When I was around nine years old, I had attended some sort of sponsor party with my parents and Momo. Unsurprisingly, a large amount of Pro Heroes were there. I didn't quite know how to respond to any of them, as my parents did the talking, Momo was shown off like a trophy, and I was just there, existing solely because I needed to. Our parents told us to wait while they spoke to someone else, and Momo went to get something to eat, leaving me alone in a space forged by titans. I wanted to cry.

It came as a surprise when a man suddenly approached me, a gentle and friendly look on his face that was more than enough to tell me he had a kind heart. He introduced himself as Takeshita, and he seemed surprised when I told him my name.

"What's your Quirk?" he asked, crouching down so that we were eye level. I didn't know how to properly describe it at the time, so I snatched a plate from off the table behind me and watched it transform into a wheel before my very eyes.

"I can change things by altering their molecular structure," I said.

"Wow," Takeshita said, his eyes widening. "That's such a useful Quirk! You can do a lot with it, you know!"

I shrugged my shoulders. I was skeptical of his claim, but decided to omit the reason why, deciding my past with my Quirk was far too personal to share with a stranger.

"Do you want to be a hero when you grow up?" he asked. I shrugged my shoulders again.

"I dunno," I muttered. "Why should I?"

"Well, why shouldn't you?" he returned. It was such a simple response, but it immediately made me rethink everything I thought I had known pertaining to Quirks and heroes and everything of the like.

"You can do a lot with that Quirk of yours, Yaoyorozu-chan," he said. "You seem smart, too, and I can tell you care a lot about people. That in of itself, well, that's more than enough for me to think you'd be a great hero."

"... Do you really think so?"

"Yeah." Takeshita smiled. "It's a scary world out there. We could use more people like you. I think the world could use more smiles."

I furrowed my brows. "But what if I fail? What if I can't make anyone smile?"

"Well, you made me smile," he said, laughing. "I already think you're off to a great start. If you want to be a hero, then you _can_ be. And no one can tell you otherwise. Do you understand?"

I nodded, but truthfully, I didn't quite realize what he was saying until I came to Yūei. It was a memory that has stuck with me even all these years later, sometimes appearing during my times of doubt where I was left questioning my purpose, my reasoning for being here.

I often wondered why people were so cruel, why this world was in such a state in that we even needed heroes. When Takeshita told me that I had the qualities of being a hero, I only focused on the fact he pointed out my Quirk and the way I spoke while totally disregarding the fact he said I had a kind heart. I fought for all my life to be smarter, stronger, _better_ than what I was, because I wanted to be a hero, and I needed those things if I even wanted to keep my dream afloat. If I could go back in time, I would have laughed at my younger self for being so blind.

All Might was an exceptional hero because of his extraordinary Quirk, yes, but more than that, it was the feeling his presence brought. The feeling of invincibility, of determination, the way his smile could ease any fear and stress and anxiety. There was a reason he was called the Symbol of Peace. Heroes existed even before the emergence of Quirks, but they were called something different during that time.

Kind.

Coming to Yūei had opened up my world to people and things and experiences I never knew even existed. I found myself surrounded by people who I could proudly call my friends, people who I wanted to protect, to see happy, to share memories and a part of my life with. They were people who I could depend on, because I knew there were times I couldn't depend on myself.

This whole time, I had wanted to become a hero for selfish reasons. I wanted to become one to justify my existence, to prove to my parents that I could be more than what they always said I was, but I knew the truth deep down. I wanted to become a hero because I had people I wanted to protect. I had people I wanted to see smile, people who I would do anything for. If I had to pluck every star out of the sky for them, I would do it, because I knew that without them I wouldn't have seen the beauty of warm hands and silver skies. I was no longer going to be selfish. I knew that I wanted to be a hero, not for myself, but for _them_. My friends. My family. The ones who I loved so dearly.

It was always for them.

* * *

_"I am really enjoying this so far. You're writing style is easy to follow, while still remaining detailed enough to exhibit writing experience. I also love all the potential for character development that we're getting from Ume and even other characters. I do have a question though? Did you not have another fanfic posted on here? It was a Todoroki x Male OC fic? I could just be crazy, but I could have sworn that was you too..? Either way it was really good and I liked the direction it was going, but I have no hard feelings if you deleted it and went another way with your writing. ANYWAY I suppose I will patiently await the next update! Thanks :) -Aaron" _— AaronC0le

Thanks so much! And yes, you're right, I did have that story, but I eventually decided to scrap it because the more I read it the more I realized how unsatisfied I was with it. I truly did enjoy Ryuu, I really liked his character and he was a lot of fun to portray, I just had a lot of issues with where I was going with the overall direction, so I decided to yeet it into the void. Maybe one day, he'll return.

_"Damn~ This is such a well-written BNHA fanfic! I'm loving it so far. :) Ume is super relatable and I love seeing this world from her perspective. Her relationship with Momo is really heart-warming; I love it it when a character who feels inferior doesn't take it out on the people who unintentionally make her feel that way. I never really cared for Momo all that much as a character, but you're bringing me around. XD _

_I'm really enjoying the family drama, too, as a lot of people tend to overlook that aspect of a characters life when writing OC fanfics. It's refreshing to see a lot of thought put into the family dynamic, beyond just Ume's relationship with her sister. I'm anxiously awaiting things to come to a head with their mother, as well as seeing how their parents interact in future chapters. Admittedly, I'm a big fan of Bakugo, so I'm super onboard for a Bakugo/Ume pairing. :D However, I'm not opposed to some side-drama meddling with Shinso/Midoriya/Kirishima, either, as they're all great characters. __In any case, I think you're doing an awesome job with this story thus far and I can't wait to see where this fic will go in the future~!"_ — Megan VR

I can't thank you enough for such a kind review. A lot of people seem the share the same sentiment with Bakugo/Ume, but wanting to see some side drama with other characters. I can't wait to show you all what I have planned! I'm also honored to hear that Momo is warming up to you! I think she's my favorite of the girls in class 1-A, so I'm happy that I'm able to change people's views of her, too!

_"Wow. Seriously, wow. Honeslty, I didn't expect this to be good. I haven't read an OC fic in this fandom that could actually capture my attention, but when I saw that this was over 30k words for five chapters, I gave it a try. And I'm glad I did! This story story had been nothing but immersive and clever. I love your attention to detail: the way you managed to choose a name for your OC that fits Momo's theme (plum and peach) and the nickname you came up for her is just so brilliant in its simplicity and so on point in the world of BNHA, that I was truly baffled. _

_And then there's her quirk. Fun fact, I was thinking about creating an OC who is Momo's cousin and came up with the exact same quirk for her and wanted to name it transmutation too, but now that I've read this story, I quickly rejected the idea, because I would have no hope of executing it as well as you did. But it's a fun sort of coincidence, haha! But that quirk is very cool: very similar to Momo's in its fundamentals, but still completely different. I just love it. _

_I can't wait to get to know their aunt more! My guess is that she's married to All Might and that's why they had to keep it a secret. Because of all that mess with All for one and OFA. One small bit of critique perhaps: Bakugo seemed a bit too mellowed in her company after their fight. Maybe that was your intention all along and it's just me, I'm a sucker for slow burn romance and all the drama that comes with it. Anyway, keep up the amazing work and I'm looking forward to your next update. (Ps: this review might be laden with typos, bc I typed it on my phone and I was too lazy to proofread it, sorry about that)"_ — aetherish

Thank you so, so much for your kind review. I kept rereading it because it truly touched me, and I'm so happy you gave my story a chance and ended up liking it ;-; It also means a lot when people take the time to analyze it, so thank you again! And I appreciate the critique as well! I've been trying hard to keep Bakugo and Ume's relationship neutral and platonic while staying true to their characters at this point in the anime, so thank you for your insight. I'll try harder with Bakugo's characterization ;v;7

* * *

**A/N:**

I'm sure you're all tired of hearing me saying it, but for the millionth time, thank you for your support. I wanted this chapter to end with an important revelation with Ume to give her a sort of push before the Sports Festival. I had a clear of idea of where I wanted this chapter to go, but I kind of flip flopped between wanting Ume to have to be forced into a situation where she activates her disintegration again or not. Ultimately, I decided to include it because it'll lead to some character interactions and development in the future.

Ume's revelation at the end somehow reminded me of myself in regards to my writing. I've been writing for about ten years and I never showed it to anyone because I was too ashamed, and I was always told that I should write for myself, and not for others. However, I realized that writing for others doesn't have to be a bad thing— it almost never is, and with that I decided that I want to write not for others to simply read, but because I want my writing to be something that resonates with others. It's true and sincere when I say it's because of my readers that I'm motivated to continue writing, that even if just one person reads my stories I can say that makes me happy.

I sort of went off on a tangent, and I'm not sure if I even made sense as I'm in a bit of a rush, but thank you for reading this chapter, and for supporting this story. I'll see you again soon.


	7. Ebb and Flow

**Disclaimer: **I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**vii. ebb and flow**

—

* * *

The last time I had been inside a hospital, it was when I found my mother on the floor of our bathroom, motionless and unresponsive. An ambulance was dialed after a housemaid heard my screaming and she was rushed to the emergency room. The next few hours were some of the worst of my life. She was in the hospital for three weeks— one to recover physically, two to recover mentally. When she came home, she went straight to her room and didn't come out for two days.

Six years later, I found myself back in this place, with white walls and shining tile floors. It smelled like faded mint and people roamed aimlessly up and down the halls, some accompanied by nurses, others with family members, and the rest with that abstruse sadness that seemed to be everywhere. If the flowers in my hands were indicators of anything, it was that my life was nothing more than a vicious cycle of the things that continued to plague me. I was alone.

I was suffocating.

After USJ, Saiko had been taken to the hospital for her injuries. Momo and I had planned to visit her, as school had been closed, but our mother had known about our plan by simply walking by the television at the wrong time and putting two and two together. She thwarted it in seconds.

"I don't want you seeing that woman," our mother told us bitterly.

"But why?" Momo asked. "She's _family_, and she protected us!"

"Don't waste your time on someone who is not a Yaoyorozu."

Momo, who loved our aunt so dearly, who was already on the verge of tears from the stress and trauma of experiencing an event like USJ, stomped her foot in an uncharacteristic fit of anger and defiance.

"That's _bullshit!_" she yelled, shocking both mother and I. "_You_ married into the family!"

She stormed away with the unspoken truth lingering behind our mother's eyes. I stood still, unsure if I should leave to comfort Momo or remain in my mother's presence, but she spoke and the blood in my veins felt like it had stopped flowing.

"Will you… visit her, too?" she asked. Her voice was soft and quiet, so very unlike the cold and distant tone she usually maintained. I bobbed my head as a response to the weak question and my mother traced her fingers along her neck, just hardly touching the turquoise pendant that hung from her necklace.

"Okay."

Without another word, she left. I could already smell the whisky that followed her words.

I already knew I had to swallow my irrational fear of hospitals for the sake of my aunt, but standing in this place, it was my first time realizing how difficult it was to truly be alone. I took small steps forward because that was all I could manage for now.

Had I not known any better, I would've thought I was trapped in a labyrinth, a helpless girl stuck in the long winding passages of a never ending space. With each room I passed, I had to gather all the strength in my body to not turn on my heel and run out.

The urge kept resurfacing underneath my skin, flaring up like a searing warmth that settled into my nerves and exploded all at once. There was an itch that pulsated in various spots throughout my body, increasing in intensity until it made the need to grab something unbearable. I tightly gripped the bouquet I had bought on my way to the hospital. The florist told me the type of flowers I should get for Saiko; azaleas to symbolize taking care of oneself; pink heathers for protection; orchids for love and strength; camellias for affection and admiration.

After what felt like an eternity, I found myself standing in front of the door to the room she was recovering in. It was slightly ajar and a part of me, despite knowing better, was expecting to see my mother on the other side, hooked up to several tubes with an IV pumping into her bloodstream. I expected to see her eyes half lid and lifeless because of the drugs she was given that put her into a half conscious stupor. I expected her fingers to twitch as if trying to grab onto something because she couldn't move otherwise while she was in that state—

"Ume?"

I froze and then relaxed as soon as my eyes landed on my aunt. She was sitting up in her bed, bandages wrapped around her head and her wrist placed in a cast, but otherwise, she was bright and glowing and _healthy_. Had I not been so dazed, I would've been more surprised at the presence of the last person I expected to be in this room.

"Young Yaoyorozu!"

"Hi, aunt Saiko," I greeted, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy before shifting my gaze to the Symbol of Peace. "And... All Might?"

"It is I!" All Might exclaimed, laughing boldly. "I was visiting your aunt to make sure she was okay after yesterday's events."

Saiko practically beamed. I managed to muster up a smile myself, and plodded over to her, wrapping my arms around her in a tight embrace.

"Is Aizawa-sensei okay, too?" I asked, furrowing my brows. Saiko nodded.

"Yes. Both he and Thirteen were hospitalized, but are in stable condition," All Might explained. I breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that. It was almost surreal seeing All Might in casual attire, outside of the flashy hero costumes he was so often seen wearing, but it was a subtle reminder that despite his immense strength and nigh invincibility, he was as human as the rest of us.

"Are these for me, Ume?" Saiko asked, staring curiously at the bouquet. I nodded and handed it to her; she took it into her arms and inhaled deeply, grinning brightly at the multicolored flowers.

"They're beautiful. Thank you," she said. "By the way, where's Momo? It's rare to not see her by your side."

"Oh, um…"

Her question remained unanswered for a few moments until All Might, understanding what I couldn't physically ask of him, bowed his head and excused himself.

"She and mother got into a… dispute," I said as soon as the door closed, pausing at the last word. "She was grounded."

"I see…" Saiko muttered. Her smile faltered.

"Your mother has always been a difficult woman," she said.

"I know."

"When we were growing up, she and I, she was always a bit of an outcast," Saiko continued. I immediately snapped my head up. "She was always just _average_, she was—" she stopped. "She's Quirkless."

My throat tightened. I was well aware of the condition my mother was born or, to some, cursed with. _Quirkless._ Quirklessness was a rare sight in today's hero saturated society. People born with Quirks always had the potential to be something more, no matter how mundane the ability, but those who lived a life with no power, no abnormalities, nothing that could consider them _unique_, well, their place in the world has already been sealed.

"I suppose that's why she decided to become an actress," I muttered. Saiko laughed, but I could hear the sorrow within it.

"Growing up, I was always the one our parents praised. They were incredibly harsh to us, so your mother and I fought all the time trying to be seen as worthy enough to even breathe the same air as them. So when your mother had her first breakthrough role, she _finally_ could say she had something against me," Saiko sighed. She didn't say anything after that. She didn't need to.

"She turned the family against you," I said.

"It's only because I'm a Pro Hero that they haven't completely cut me off."

"I'm sorry, aunt Saiko, I didn't—"

She grabbed my hands and that nettling itch returned. I held my breath.

"I don't want you to be upset at Haruka," she said, staring directly into my eyes. "She's gone through a lot, Ume. She's sick. She's hurting. And I know she's hurt you." Her gaze flickered. "I don't think she understands how her words and actions affects others."

Saiko was far more kind than I ever could be. Probably because what she had with my mother is what Momo and I have with each other. Probably because she is so filled with love there just isn't any space for resentment. Probably because she saw the world through the lens of a golden child, and what she considered to be an understanding of her sister was nothing more than pity, or probably—

Because _I_ didn't understand. And that the tenuous detestation I had for my mother was just her reflection upon me, the black sheep, that never held my hand and always had that acrid scent of bourbon. The parts of life I had considered unfair, I had never thought about until now. This entire time, I was an outlet. I was my mother's way of both reliving and finding closure with herself. I was her anguish so much as I was her solace. And I was betraying her by becoming my own person.

"I understand," I murmured. Saiko smiled and squeezed my hand.

"I hope you continued to grow into the person we all know you are, Ume."

We spoke for a few more minutes after that, but I decided to leave when a nurse came in to do a check up on Saiko. I whispered a thank you to her before rising to my full height and exiting the room. Among the many thoughts gyrating in my head, from how much I hated hospitals to my mother, strangely, the one thing I couldn't stop thinking about the concept of love. Scientifically, it's described as the strong attraction and emotional attachment to someone. The release of dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin are most directly linked to love.

In my first year of middle school, I had what one could call a crush on an upperclassman. I admired him, though he was vulgar and rather mean to the people who weren't his friends, I thought he was strong and reliable. Our interactions were limited but I fondly remembered the way my heart would skip a beat whenever we made eye contact or spoke. He graduated before I could pursue him, and my feelings for him faded away much like his name and face. It left me only with that experience, but if I were to ever recall what he looked like, and see him in the streets, I would thank him for letting me experience that feeling— while it may not have been _love_, per se, it was something just as tender.

I had never considered the prospects of a romantic relationship after that, as that boy was my first and only crush, but I thoroughly valued the relationships I had with my friends and family. I owed it to them for motivating me to become a better person; to helping me achieve my dream of being the hero I've always wanted to be and the hero I knew I could be; to help me be the best version of myself. The person I was now was far different from the person I was a month ago, and I owed it to _them_ for helping me get this far.

Love. I knew it was much kinder than what I saw between my parents, if it could even be called that. It required give and take but was never selfish on one end. There were compromises and disagreements but in the same beat there was passion and warmth.

In the process of musing about love and how, like many things in life, it came unexpected, impetuously shoving itself into our timelines while disregarding what we may have had planned, I saw a familiar head of blond. And with that head of blond, rubies followed. I wasn't aware my heart skipped a beat until he called out to me.

That's when I realized it fluttered a second time.

* * *

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

This encounter marked the third time Bakugo and I have been paired together in some form. I blamed it on the universe simply trying to align two unlike stars, but this led me to wonder if these meetings were more than just a coincidence.

"I was visiting my aunt," I said, unfurling my fingers, only to realize the bouquet I held before was gone. "What about you?"

Bakugo dipped his head to the side with a scoff. At the same time, a woman came from around the corner, smiling until she made eye contact with me, and then her expression changed to one of surprise.

"Hello!" she greeted as she approached me. This woman was the spitting image of Bakugo, or rather, _he_ was the spitting image of _her_. She was undoubtedly his mother. "Are you a friend of Katsuki's?"

The snarky side of me wanted to respond with a sardonic smile followed by a h_ardly_, but I knew I was more polite than that.

"Somewhat, yes," I answered, making a conscious effort to appear as gracious as possible. "We sit behind each other in class."

The woman grinned. "It's so nice to meet you! My name is Mitsuki. I'm Katsuki's mother!"

"I can tell. You two look exactly alike," I said before bowing my head. "My name is Yaoyorozu Ume. It's nice to meet you."

"You're so polite," Mitsuki hummed before shooting a glare toward her son. "Why can _you_ be well mannered like Ume-chan?"

"Fuck off, old hag! Don't compare me to her!" Bakugo snapped.

"Oi! Don't you dare yell at your mother like that, you shitty brat!"

I was taken aback by the shouting match that quickly erupted between them as they hurled insults and profanities at each other. I was beginning to wonder if Bakugo perhaps got his personality from his father if his mother was so kind, but my question was answered without me having to even ask it. Their scuffle ended with Mitsuki delivering a slap to the back of Bakugo's head, causing him to jerk forward and rub the spot where he was hit. He grumbled a few words under his breath, and though I couldn't pick up on them, I was sure I didn't want to.

"Geez, honestly…" Mitsuki huffed before straightening out her cardigan. Her warm smile immediately returned as she looked at me. "I'm going to get something to eat. Would you like anything, Ume-chan?"

"O-Oh, no, I'm fine!"

"Don't be shy! I won't mind!"

My eyes shifted to Bakugo for a moment, partially because I felt that I needed his approval, but when he didn't look back at me, I instead tried to smile.

"Um… just some gyudon will do, then. Thank you," I said.

When Mitsuki walked away and I figured she was out of earshot, I took a step closer to Bakugo and knitted my brows together.

"Are you okay?" I asked. Bakugo looked at me and scowled.

"Don't pity me, damn princess," he spat.

"Concern and pity are two different things."

Bakugo rolled his eyes and trudged over to where a row of seats where in a lounging area. Reluctantly, I followed, and sat beside him while he plopped down in the chair.

"You never answered my question," I said.

"Eh?" Bakugo sounded, arching a brow as though trying to recall what I asked. "Oh. My mom's sister is having a baby or some shit like that."

I chuckled. "'Something like that'?"

"You don't even curse."

"I _have_ cursed before. At you, specifically. Remember?"

"Yeah, when you went apeshit and attacked me."

I scrunched up my nose. "Don't make me out to be some sort of lunatic. You made me upset."

"Whatever," Bakugo said dismissively, rolling his eyes.

"Well… babies are cute," I said. "Are you excited for a new cousin?"

"Babies are annoying."

"They can be, but you haven't answered my question."

"I don't really give a shit."

I chuckled softly. It was so like him to respond with such curt, uncaring answers, but with all the time I've spent around Bakugo, I was beginning to realize that he wasn't as unpleasant as he made himself out to be. Despite all the layers of aggression and cruelty he displayed, underneath all of that I _knew_ there was a part of him in there that cared. And maybe it wasn't as small as I would think. And maybe, for everything that he was, though there was something in him that made him as temperamental and belligerent as he was, it was this same thing that made him reliable and intelligent. Bakugo's strength was one that never allowed anyone to take on his burdens. And that?

Well, dare I say it—

"You're terrible, you know," I said as I looked down at my hands. Bakugo immediately shot me the most angry, vile glare he could probably send anyone, though he said nothing. "You're rude, vulgar, disrespectful, have an obvious problem with authority. You're arrogant and crude and everything that everyone hates, all packed into one giant walking _shit storm_." I couldn't hold back my smirk while his eyes narrowed. "And yet…"

I paused, not because I was having trouble admitting it, but because I was beginning to realize it was something I could admit at all.

"And yet, here I am, admiring you."

I noticed the shift in his movements. It was so subtle and the only reason I caught it was because I was paying close attention to his reaction. Bakugo clenched his jaw, and his muscles tensed, as if he was holding something back, and he quickly turned his head away from me.

"You're fucking annoying."

I laughed at that.

"I guess I am."

Mitsuki returned a few moments later, carrying a few bags in her hand. I thanked her when she handed me a bowl to me, though she practically threw one at Bakugo, the blond having nearly cursed her out again if it wasn't for the sharp look she sent his way.

"I thought you were vegan or some shit," Bakugo grumbled as he broke a pair of chopsticks. I nearly choked on the rice I was chewing on.

"Why?"

"'Cause that's what _every_ pretty rich girl is," he said. Then we both paused. "Online or whatever."

I glanced at him for a bit. We _both_ knew what he said, but he was caught off guard and I was flustered, and the embarrassing moments shared between us were increasing in count. I decided to drop it.

"Okay," I said plainly. "Thanks, I guess."

I peeked at the red liquid that rested idly in the bowl Bakugo was given, only disturbed when he dipped his chopsticks into it to scoop up a mouthful of noodles. I smiled.

"Is tantanmen your favorite food, Bakugo?" I asked. He nodded.

And just like that, I was somehow able to understand him a bit more.

* * *

Momo and I spent the next morning trying to avoid our mother. Our father was hardly in the picture due to his demanding job that required him to be away from home most nights, but our mother was on a hiatus from her acting and modeling, for a short time while she "recovered". This meant she spent most, if not all of her time inside, aimlessly roaming the halls of the mansion, looking for something that couldn't be found in expensive paintings or grand chandeliers. It almost made me pity her. Almost.

I was always amazed by Momo's ability to bounce back from stressful situations. She could always find a way to smile through her troubles, and this was no different. On our way to school, she chatted normally, and when we reached the classroom, she greeted everyone the same way she always did. I knew she was okay, but I also knew I wasn't foolish enough to let her continuing the day like this without acknowledging the tension that, without a doubt, settled itself between us. Momo excelled at hiding her emotions behind a mask of courtesy and perfection. It was her worst habit.

Before I could continue to ponder any further about her, the classroom door slid open, and a man dressed in bandages, looking like some sort of mummy, appeared. If it weren't for his hunched position and bloodshot eyes that peeked through the fabric, I wouldn't have recognized who it was.

"Aizawa-sensei?!" the class gasped in unison.

"You're back already?" Ojiro asked.

"Is it safe for you to be discharged from the hospital so soon, ribbit?" Asui continued.

"My well being doesn't matter," Aizawa-sensei quickly dismissed. "The fight is not yet over."

We all sat in silence as we waited for his thought to continue. It was obvious that some of my classmates were starting to become nervous over what 'the fight' meant, considering we were in such a large one the day before, but—

"The Yūei Sports Festival."

The atmosphere melted into a much more relaxed one as if the unease wasn't there at all.

"That's such a normal school event!" Kirishima cheered, but was quickly cut off by Kaminari pushing his palm into his face.

"Wait a minute!" he said. "Is it really okay to host a sports festival so soon after we were attacked?"

"Holding the event proves that Yūei is truly fit to handle a crisis. Security this year will be increased five times more than in previous years. Above all, though," Aizawa-sensei's eyes peered through the bandages obscuring his face, giving us all a gaze that sent a shiver down my spine. "This is a chance to prove yourself to the hundreds of Pro Heroes that will be watching."

The Yūei Sports Festival was an event the entire world had their eyes on. I remember watching one of the events on TV years ago, and I marveled at the strength mere high school students boasted. There was a particular student I remembered who could transform into a dragon, and this exceptional Quirk of hers allowed her to make it to the top three. It was also because of this that she now sat at the number nine spot in the hero rankings.

This led to somewhat of an epiphany. There was a child somewhere out there who would be watching me, perhaps thinking my Quirk was admirable, too, perhaps thinking to themselves that a girl like me actually could be a great hero. And maybe in the future, that same child would be sitting here, reminiscing about that girl they saw on TV all those years back. It was a cycle I was a part of and that thought alone was more than enough to motivate me to do my very best.

_One smile at a time._

The day dragged on like it always did, tedious most times and only mildly entertaining, until the bell for the end of the day rang. As I got up, my eyes met Bakugo's, and I smirked slightly at the memory of our conversation the day before. He simply rolled his eyes. He took a few steps forward, but immediately paused and clicked his tongue. I turned to see what it was that had piqued his interest, and my eyes went wide at the sight of dozens of students crowding around our classroom door.

"What the hell?" Kirishima exclaimed, standing on his toes and craning his neck to try to find a way through the mob.

"What's going on?" Momo asked, approaching the door. I trailed behind her and stopped when a warmth radiated toward me.

"Fuckers are scouting out the competition," Bakugo said disdainfully. I nodded absentmindedly to his words.

"Considering we went through the villain attack, I'm sure they want to see what kind of people they are," I said. I took a step forward, but promptly halted when purple entered my peripheral.

"I wanted to see the famous class 1-A for myself, but I'm not exactly impressed."

_But of course._

"We meet again, Yaoyorozu."

I could practically feel the several stares land onto me as my cheeks felt exceptionally warm. Shinso pushed himself to the front of the crowd, hands stuffed casually in his pockets. His entire persona, from the way he carried himself to the judgmental look in his amethyst eyes reminded me of the very first time we met.

"Hello, Shinso-san," I returned.

"It's him!" Mina whispered from somewhere behind me. "It's that guy who was flirting with Umerozu!"

"_This_ fucker?" Bakugo growled.

"Flirting?" Shinso chuckled and shook his head. "Is that what you told everyone, Yaoyorozu?"

"No, not at all!" I quickly said. Despite my denial, he seemed unconvinced. Instead, his eyes traveled to Momo.

"You must be the sister," he said. Momo stiffened. "It's interesting to see you both side by side."

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Bakugo barked.

"Please disregard him!" Iida interrupted. "He means—"

"I know what he means," Shinso said. I carefully eyed him to try and figure out what he was going to say or do next. Shinso was one of the most unpredictable people I've ever met. His neutral expression never faltered and that made it even harder to tell how he was going to react, as well as I should react to him. Bakugo took a single step forward, the tension between him and Shinso building at an alarming rate as soon as they made eye contact.

"Move out of my way, raccoon eyed bastard," my classmate jeered, aiming his palm. "Or I'll kill you."

"That's quite the statement coming from someone who wants to be a hero," Shinso said.

"This isn't gonna end well, is it…?" I heard Uraraka whimper. Shinso sighed and lifted his shoulders to his ears in an impassive shrug.

"I came here with a declaration of war," he proclaimed, eyes narrowing. "The Sports Festival is coming up. It isn't impossible for students from other courses to be transferred into the hero course. You all better watch out, or you'll get swept from underneath your feet."

"Bold words coming from a no-name bastard like you," Bakugo spat. Shinso turned to him.

"My name is Shinso Hitoshi, and I plan to become a hero, just like you." His teeth peeked through as his lips lifted into a disparaging smile. My body tensed, as if my muscles just knew what was going to happen next. "Although, considering your piss poor attitude, I wouldn't be surprised if you end up becoming a villain. Surely, you'd be better suited working for the— what are they called? League of Villains…?"

I moved.

I suddenly became the only physical barrier between Shinso and Bakugo. I held my arms out and stared directly at Shinso. Bakugo's body lurched forward and that was more than enough to tell me that if I hadn't moved, either one of them would have been injured from whatever would have came next.

"Enough," I said, keeping my tone solid. "No one is here to make enemies. Whatever rivalries you want to establish, save it for the Sports Festival, where we can _truly_ show off who the stronger one is."

Shinso raised a brow. "I didn't realize you could be so bold, Yaoyorozu."

"You're fucking lucky she came, or else your head would've been rolling on the floor," Bakugo said. Of course, Shinso was hardly fazed. I'm sure he knew an empty threat when he heard one, but a part of me was worried that Bakugo's words weren't a threat as much as they were an unfulfilled promise. It was only through instinct that I reacted when I did, and sheer luck that I wasn't blasted by whatever attack Bakugo had planned. I considered counting my blessings.

"You have a point, though,Yaoyorozu," Shinso continued, a sigh escaping from between his lips. "I'll use the Sports Festival as proof of what this raccoon eyed bastard can do. Until then, 1-A."

He left with a flick of his wrist that could hardly be called a wave. As soon as he was gone, and the crowd that gathered in front of our classroom began to disperse, I heaved a heavy breath of relief and leaned against the doorframe. My heart was pounding at the confrontation.

"Ume? Are you okay?" Momo asked, her hands wrapping around my shoulders.

"I'm fine," I answered with a nod.

"Umerozu, that was so cool! Being able to stand up for yourself _and _your classmates is—" He shielded his eyes with his arm. "So manly!"

"Thank you for your help, Yaoyorozu-san," Iida said, the relief on his expression adding to the gratitude laced within his words.

"You really are the only one who can tame that wild beast Bakugo, eh, Umerozu?" Sero chuckled and nudged me.

"Shut the fuck up!" Bakugo shouted before storming out of the classroom. I almost, _almost_ hurried after him, but I decided to let him go as he was. Instead, I stepped out into the hall with Momo, while the rest of my classmates said their goodbyes and began making their way home. As I turned to Momo, Kirishima and Mina entered my vision, and my sister must have been aware of where I was looking, because she smiled and took my hand.

"You should go home with them today," she whispered.

"What?" I asked. "But what about—"

"Don't worry about me. We'll meet when we get home."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded far too confidently for me to think she wasn't telling the truth. Of course, I knew Momo, and whether or not she was feeling okay, she's wasn't going to tell me— not here, at least. With a sigh, because she certainly wasn't going to give me other choice, I tightly hugged her and smiled.

"See you when I get home," I said before hurrying off. "Kirishima, Mina!"

They both turned to me and grinned when noticing me approaching them.

"Umerozu!" Mina cheered, throwing her arms into the air. "Aren't you going home with Yaomomo?"

"Well… she thought I should go home with you guys for a change. After all…" I smiled and turned to Kirishima. "I made a pinkie promise to you, didn't I?"

He beamed.

* * *

Public transportation wasn't something I was very accustomed to taking due to the fact Momo and I were often driven around in a limousine or through other means. I always enjoyed the thought of it, though— the gentle rocking of a train, the scenery that unfolded as it crossed the tracks, the acknowledgement of the stories each person within the car had.

I liked thinking about the lives everyone could be living. One woman who fell asleep had probably finished her shift at a local hospital and was coming home to her kids. The man looking at his phone could be reading an engaging novel from one of his favorite authors, imagining a world filled with colorful characters. The two teenagers leaned against the train door, giggling to themselves, could be like me, simply living as they needed to. Needless to say, I liked the aesthetic of public transportation more than anything.

Mina had walked with us to the train station before parting, as she lived in the opposite direction, leaving Kirishima and I. I was astonished by the life the train station had, with people bustling everywhere, traveling back and forth, trailing in the direction of signs that hung from the ceiling. The announcement of a train's arrival was nearly drowned out by the chatter of the people around me. I stuck close to Kirishima, knowing fully that I could easily get lost if I didn't keep him in my sights. However, when we passed by a vending machine, I asked if we could stop by it to get something to drink.

"Have you taken the train before, Umerozu?" Kirishima asked as I inserted a bill into the vending machine.

"Only the Shinkansen, really," I said in slight embarrassment. "Do you want anything?"

"Green tea?"

"Coming right up."

I settled for milk tea, and once I heard the familiar rumbling of the two drinks dropping, I knelt down and grabbed them, handing one bottle to Kirishima.

"Momo and I are usually driven everywhere, so we aren't given the chance to ride public transportation," I explained as I uncapped my drink. "I'm sure I come off as spoiled, don't I…?"

"Nah, not to me! Do you know what stop you get off?"

"I do. Honestly, Kirishima, this may sound stupid, but taking the train with a friend is really exciting."

He grinned. "Ain't it? I like being able to talk to someone on the ride home. I usually just listen to music, but now I have you!"

I chuckled. Kirishima's head snapped up when another announcement echoed throughout the station, but I could barely hear it aside from a word or two. Suddenly, he grabbed my hand, and without warning I was yanked to the side. A gasp escaped my lungs and I stumbled after Kirishima as he ran through the station, expertly weaving between people while I barely managed to avoid bumping into them.

"Our train is coming!" he shouted. _That makes much more sense._

We raced up an escalator, across platforms, dodging parents with strollers and elders leaned over their canes. And with the wind raking through my hair and the adrenaline that came with something as mundane as chasing a train, my lips parted into a smile and what followed after was laughter. We saw the train pulling into the station and that prompted us to pick up our pace, running even faster. I hardly registered how tight our hands were wrapped around each other. Instead, I just thought about the fun I was having doing something like _this_, only worrying about whether I would get home in time, not fretting over the things I was always concerning myself with.

Kirishima and I pushed ourselves through the train door just as it closed, and I was left a giggling mess, panting heavily, feeling the pressure in my lungs with each breath of air I took.

"That… that was… too close…" Kirishima said between gasps. I laughed again and leaned against the door, and nearly fell over when it started moving, with Kirishima placing his hands on my shoulders to steady me being the only thing that kept me from tumbling.

"You okay?" Kirishima asked. I nodded. Smiling, he took my hand again and led me to the back of the car where there were empty seats with enough space for the both of us. I crossed one leg over the other and leaned back as I set, exhaling deeply now that I had gotten control of my breathing.

"That was fun," I said. "We should do it again!"

"It's not fun when you actually _miss_ the train," Kirishima chuckled. "Sometimes it takes forever for another one to come. Especially in winter."

"Mm, I can imagine." I stayed silent for a moment before speaking again. "So… for the Sports Festival, what kind of training will you do?"

"I'm mostly gonna work on my endurance. My Quirk isn't very flashy, so I at least wanna work on the strong parts about it."

I smiled. "Even if you don't think it is, it's still excellent."

"You think so?" Kirishima asked, blinking at me in awe. I nodded firmly.

"Of course. You can be the ultimate shield or spear. No matter which way you look at it, it's powerful in its own right. Perfect for a Pro Hero," I said. I almost swore he was tearing up at my words, but instead, Kirishima grinned and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Aw, you're flattering me!" he said. "Coming from you, that means a lot, Umerozu! Your Quirk is amazing."

"It's hardly deserving of praise," I muttered wryly.

"Why do you say that?"

I hadn't told my complete past with my Quirk to anyone, and the only ones aware of its destructive capabilities were Todoroki and Bakugo. And while they didn't necessarily mind it— or maybe they did, and were just protecting my feelings— that didn't mean I was any more okay with what I _could_ do.

With what I _did_ do.

I was aware I tended to build walls around myself to prevent from getting hurt or ridiculed from others, and that at times made it difficult for me to connect and be honest with the people I considered dear to me. It wasn't the judgement I was afraid of. People were judged every moment of their life, from their first breath of air down to their very last, and even after. I could handle judgement. What I couldn't afford was what came after the judgement.

I couldn't handle being alone. I didn't want to be left alone, not after I was beginning to branch out and make friends, surround myself with people who made me so undeniably happy. Kirishima had always been kind to me since we first met, but would that change if I told him the truth?

"Give me your hand."

Kirishima blinked in confusion, but he slowly reached out and placed his hand in my lap. Slowly, I lifted his hand and pressed my fingers against his palm. I traced the lines that crossed over his skin. I could _feel_ it, each molecule that made up his being, and I felt tingles underneath my fingertips.

"When I was a girl, I wouldn't be able to do this," I muttered. "Not without turning you into ash."

"What do you mean?"

"When my Quirk first manifested, I had no idea to control it. Everything disintegrated with my touch. I didn't understand how or why it was happening." I took in a deep breath as all those memories trickled into my head like raindrops. "Clothes, toys, things like that— those were dispensable, but no one could've known that my Quirk works on organic beings, too."

I sighed and looked down, too afraid of looking into his eyes, looking to see his face twisted in disgust and horror. Before he could jerk his hand away I released it.

"I don't want to hurt anyone, Kirishima," I whispered. "I want to be a hero, but sometimes I just feel so awful about my Quirk. I want to save people, but when I think about doing good, I can only remember how much damage I've done with it and it makes me feel _terrible_. I don't want to hurt anyone with it, anymore…"

"Hey, Umerozu."

I flinched at the nickname I had been given on my first day of school. I felt ashamed, undeserving of it.

"You know—"

Kirishima took my hand again.

"Your hands are really soft."

I looked up, slowly, at Kirishima, who was _smiling_ at me. Red and onyx made contact.

"I'm sorry," he said, still keeping that smile. "I didn't realize you felt that way about your Quirk, Umerozu. How come you didn't tell me earlier?"

My throat tightened. I couldn't give an answer because I couldn't speak. I was too occupied with trying to hold back the tears that I realized were beginning to well in my eyes.

"I think I get how something like that can make you feel alone. Thirteen-sensei said it too, right?" he asked, eyes traveling to the ceiling. "Something like, uhh… well, I don't really remember—" He laughed. "But you don't gotta be afraid of your power, and you shouldn't be ashamed of it either. Look."

He pointed to his eye, where a scar I had just noticed was.

"When my Quirk activated for the first time, I accidentally cut myself! And sometimes it would activate when I didn't want it to, so I'd end up hurting people, too. So… I kinda get what you mean," he said. His eyes became solemn for just a moment before brightening again. "But sometimes, there's just stuff we can't control, ya know? But I don't think that makes us bad people or anything like that. You should know, Ume, that you aren't a bad person."

_He called me Ume._

"Maybe you don't realize it, but I can tell you've done a lot for the people in the class. Even people _outside _of it. And even if you don't think you're hero material, that must count for something, right?"

For the umpteenth time, Kirishima smiled, and he curled his fingers around mine.

"Your hands aren't meant for destroying," he said. "No matter what you think of it or yourself, the proof is right there in the way everyone smiles at you. _You_, Ume? You're _amazing_."

The people staring at us and the soft swaying as the train clicked against the tracks didn't matter, because in the right now, there was just the two of us. I had always considered myself as nothing more than average. I was like any other person and I lived a large majority of my life complacent with being a secondary character in my own motion picture. I was as common and mundane as a Monday morning, but it was slowly dawning on me that there was a reason people looked forward to the sight of a rising sun.

I was carrying this burden because everyone knew that if I dared to become something _more_, that would give me more power than any Quirk could. I should've realized it when speaking to Saiko. I should've realized it whenever I held Momo's hand. I should've realized it when I smiled and laughed with my friends.

I was never an extra. I always existed, and even if my birth was something my parents considered a mistake, I was always Yaoyorozu Ume. My mother liked to make me feel small because she was projecting her self loathing onto me, and I internalized that and made it my own. I allowed the people around me— people who were nothing more than nameless faces in the back of my mind— to give me reasons to hate myself, to find every reason to not become a hero, to remain in the shadows and make me think I was some kind of _monster_, but Kirishima's hands were so warm within mine, and it all came crashing into me like a truck.

I had told Shinso the same thing, that he should make the power of his Quirk his own, because no one had the right to dictate whether one could be a hero or not. And without realizing it, I was disregarding my own advice because I knew that if I didn't, I would be giving more power to myself. I was holding myself back because that's what everyone always told me to do. I was scared of my own capabilities, and for what?

My Quirk was never a destructive force of nature. It was only ever what _I_ thought it was. And the same went for me. If I could write a letter to my past self, I would apologize to her for making her suffer so much. I would apologize for making her think she was a monster, this awful creature who only destroyed, who deserved to keep to herself because no one wanted to deal with her. I would say sorry for making her cry so much, and for implanting these seeds of doubts into her mind until they grew like mighty trees and shielded the truth from me. I would throw myself at her feet and apologize for putting her through this for fifteen long years.

But while considering what I would put in this letter, I also thought about what was most important to me now. I had to remind myself that what I needed— more than an apology, more than a reflection of myself and my life, more than the realization that it was never my Quirk and I that was wrong, but the people who made me believe so— what I needed, truly, was to forgive myself.

"Kirishima?"

I owed myself that much.

"Thank you."

* * *

_"Am I the only one who thinks that Shigaraki and Ume are actually quite similar in quirks, I mean the molecular destroying part, Shigaraki can turn things and people into dust and Ume has that problem to when she isn't fully in control, in a way they are polar opposites and the two different routes of what has happened as consequence of their destructive (aspect for Ume) quirks, she could also potentially hold her own against Shigaraki as she can stop the molecules from turning to duct and/or just reform it afterwards. There is infinite possibilities with Ume's quirk. This is a very riveting story and I wish for you to continue as I greatly enjoy this."_ — Freddie4153

Thanks so much! Quite a few people noted the similarities between Shigaraki's Quirk and what Ume can do with hers. In truth, I wanted to incorporate Ume noticing the similarities last chapter, but as I was writing it I realized I really had no place to put it. I like your theory of her being able to hold her own against him should they make contact. I'm not sure how such a situation between them would go as I don't really have an idea of exactly _how_ quickly Ume is able use her Quirk in terms of molecular alteration. It happens more instantaneously that Momo's because she doesn't _create_, she only _rearranges_. It truly is very similar to alchemy in Fullmetal Alchemist in that her Quirk deconstructs and reconstructs substances at a molecular level.

_"I'm glad you decided to write this story and share it with us. It's only been six chapters and I've gotten more enjoyment out of it than fics that are much longer. I really like Ume and all the thought you put into executing this. Also, I'd be lying if I said I'm not looking forward to Shigaraki noticing her quirk's potential similarity to his. I'm real excited. Also, you should totally do a poll to see what we're guessing for Saiko's secret husband. (My money would've been on Aizawa but maybe someone like Hawks would be more of a surprise) Thanks again!"_ — AppropriateLlama!

Thank you for your kind review! I'll set up a poll, so you guys can go ahead and vote on it if you wish to! I'm interested to see what you all think who Saiko's husband is, especially with the hospital scene. Will that solidify your theories or change your minds? I'd love to know!

_"Ohhhh my gosh I love this story so much so far! The relationship between Momo and Ume is so great and I'm glad they don't hate each other like a lot of other stories have with siblings. Of course I don't expect it to always be sunshine and rainbows but you can tell they really care about each other and in the end that's all that matters. I enjoy reading how Ume is constantly evolving and how even when she is changing it's not happening instantly. A childhood of emotional trauma isn't going to go away in an instant and it happened during her formative years so it's interesting seeing the effects on her as a person. Can't wait to read more!"_ — cleo0421

Thank you so much! I knew from the start I didn't want Ume to have a rocky relationship with Momo, because I thought that would cause far too much confusion and conflict within the story. This story deals more with internal conflict than external, and I didn't want to make Ume an antagonist to Momo because that would clash too much with her self improvement, and if anything, would probably _hinder_ it.

* * *

**A/N:**

Because of you all, this story has reached _124_ favorites, _183_ follows, _48_ reviews, and over 5.5k views. Wow. I wish I could express my gratitude with more than just a thank you, but I'm immensely honored and humbled by all the positive reception I've gotten since I published this story. Thank you so much.

I rewrote this chapter because I originally had Momo join Ume at the hospital. However, I realized about halfway through that Ume's interaction with Bakugo would have been muddled and wouldn't feel as, for lack of a better word, intimate. I'm far more satisfied with the outcome of this, especially as we are beginning to see what I'm very excited to show, being a very important plot point between Ume and Momo that will shed further light on their relationship. I'm excited to see what theories you guys have about that, though you all have been making predictions about their relationship for quite a few chapters now!

I wrote this train scene because it'll serve as a transition for Ume's development in her relationship with her Quirk. In truth, there are many capabilities she has with it since she isn't as limited as Momo's is with hers. I'm excited to show it, though I'll be careful not to make her grossly overpowered. Ume has a lot of potential that I'm eager to display, and I think if she were actually in the show, she would be up there with Bakugo, Todoroki, and Tokoyami in terms of potential. But I think I'm just biased in that, haha.

As I've mentioned before, I've created a poll in regards to who you all think is Saiko's spouse. You can vote on my profile! If a choice isn't up there, feel free to let me know in a review. I've also added one in regards to who within Ume's harem (lol) would it be interesting to see her paired with! Before this gets too long, I'd like to say that I mentioned wanting to write a new story, however I have two ideas and I'm unsure as to what to post, so I'd like you all to help me choose. The first is about an OC with powers related to the sun as she struggles to find her place in the world. It will occur after the lunch rush but before USJ. The second is about, an OC as well, who died and was reincarnated. Both stories will follow the anime time line but will have plot twists specific to their related stories. I don't want to work on three stories at once, so I'd like to know which ones you guys would be more interested in reading~

Now, I'm sorry for such a long author's note, but thank you all for reading and supporting me this far. I sincerely appreciate it, and I'll see you all next time.


	8. Rain Drops

**Disclaimer: **I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**viii. rain drops**

—

* * *

Training with my aunt was nothing new. It's how I was able to fully understand and hone my Quirk, learn and relearn a myriad of chemical compositions and components to use it to its full potential. Though my mother often tried to postpone or flat out cancel these training sessions, she knew as well as anyone else did that it's because of Saiko that I was able to get this far. I refused to allow her to keep bringing me down.

Though Momo was still technically grounded, she was somehow able to convince our mother to let her accompany me to Saiko's house so we could train. The Sports Festival, was all she said. And perhaps because our mother was too tired to argue, she let her go. Saiko had made a full recovery considering her injuries weren't too severe, though she had to keep the cast on for the next few weeks. And so the training began.

Saiko's house was a place only filled with good memories, one of the few places I truly felt safe, where I could be myself without worrying about the crushing expectations placed upon me. And yet, and as soon as we stepped into her yard—

"Hey, kids!"

The very _last_ thing I expected to see was a pair of magnificent crimson wings spring into the air.

"Nice to meet ya."

The Wing Hero, Hawks, was a man who was slowly taking Japan by storm. I was familiar with the third ranked Pro Hero, but this was my first time formally meeting him. With his hands stuffed casually in his pockets, he looked at Momo and I with an impassive glance, and sloped his head to the side as if examining us.

"So, these are your kids?" he asked, though I knew he was speaking to Saiko.

"Not _my_ kids. My sister's," she answered with a roll of her eyes.

"Right, right—" Hawks tore his gaze away and smirked. Momo and I looked at each other, and then at Hawks. We both had the same question, I'm sure. It was simply a matter of who was going to ask it first.

"Hawks is my friend," Saiko started as she stepped toward us. "I called him over because I thought he'd be the best person to help with training. Two weeks isn't a very long time, but I know it's enough so that the both of you can hone your Quirks a bit more."

"Plus, I want to help the both of you with your physical prowess, too," Hawks said, resting his hands behind his head. "Who better to train with than the fastest man alive?"

I smirked slightly. It was true that I had an over reliance on my Quirk. Due to the nature and usage I could get out of it, I hardly ever had to concern myself with close combat, but the truth was that if I wanted to be a hero, I had to learn to fend for myself should my Quirk not be able to save me. If someone who had a power like Aizawa-sensei were to come along, there was nothing I would be able to do against that. I had to be better.

They were right in two weeks not being a long time, but I hoped it would be enough so that I could at least learn the basics. People like Bakugo were excellent fighters because they could use their Quirk in tandem with combat. Though my power couldn't be used as easily in that manner, if I really admired Bakugo like I said I did, then I shouldn't hesitate in using his fighting style as a reference for my own.

I looked over at Momo and saw the same determination reflecting in her eyes. My hand brushed against hers and I smiled.

"Let's begin."

* * *

Being the fastest man alive certainly wasn't an understatement. Perhaps I didn't understand because I had nothing to compare between _fast _and _fastest_, but Hawks never hesitated in showing his speed. He was ranked number three for a reason. I didn't even stand a chance.

I slammed my hands on the ground as he zipped past me. I hoped by predicting his movements I could catch him off guard, but as the grass uplifted and turned into slabs of concrete, all he had to do was pluck off a feather and elongate it to slice the slabs in half with hardly any effort. I blinked, and he was in front of me again. I barely had enough time to dodge a punch. I could feel the fabric of his glove brush against my skin, but with another swift jab to my side I was on the ground.

My muscles were on fire. We had been going at this for _hours_ now and Saiko hardly seemed fazed at my repeated failures to even land a scratch on Hawks. She looked at me with her arms crossed and at times she had the same gaze my mother, but I refused to let this perturb me.

"You can do this, Ume!" Momo called. I almost wanted to tell her that I didn't, but I held my tongue. Instead, I scrambled to my hands and feet and placed my palms on the ground, but Hawks threw a feather between my arms, and I yelped in surprise.

"Man, you really _are_ kind of an idiot, aren't you?" he asked.

"What…?" I muttered. Hawks sighed and shook his head. He stepped toward me and held out his hand. I looked at it for a moment before grasping it, and I was helped up to my feet.

"A Quirk as powerful as yours, and you're _still_ fucking around with it," Hawks said bluntly. I was taken back by his word choice and looked over my shoulder to glance at Momo and Saiko; my sister seemed equally as surprised, but Saiko wasn't surprised.

"What do you mean?" I asked, turning back to look at Hawks, my brows furrowing. "What do you mean I'm just… messing with it? That isn't true. I'm doing my best."

"You only _think_ you're doing your best," Hawks said. He flicked the space between my eyebrows. I hissed and rubbed the spot that now stung, and glared at him. "What can your power do?"

"I can alter and rearrange the molecular structure of anything I touch," I said. "I can tear them apart or put them back together."

"Is that all?"

I furrowed my brows. "Yes," I answered. "Um… I think so."

"Can you make water into ice?"

"Yes."

"How?"

I withheld the urge to roll my eyes. I felt that this conversation was getting nowhere, but for the sake of politeness, I decided to entertain him.

"I slow down the movement of molecules and compact them together to form a solid," I explained. Hawks placed his hands on his hips.

"Are you still not getting it?"

"I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"What he's saying—" It was Saiko's voice that drew my attention away. I turned to her as she walked toward me, a small lift in the corner of her lips. "What he's saying, Ume, is that you're Quirk isn't so black and white. Transmutate never meant destroy or create." She smiled. "You _alter_."

I took a few moments for me to process this, but when I finally did, my eyes widened in realization. She was right. The basis of my and Momo's Quirks was embedded in the idea of creation, but we never created something out of nothing. We always _created_ an object by _altering_ it. And though I was always aware that this was what my ability was, I never took the time to understand what it meant in terms of me or my Quirk. If I could destroy and rebuild, then I could do everything in between as well. Acceleration, deceleration, shifting, transforming— it was all there at the base of my fingertips. I just needed to understand how to use it.

"I think she gets it now," Hawks whispered. "I want you to try something, Ume. Use me as a test subject."

"What is it?"

"Decelerate my molecules."

I choked on the air I inhaled. "I'm sorry, _what_?"

"It shouldn't be impossible," Hawks said. I was concerned by the confidence in his voice. "Just try it."

"B-But I have to touch you to—"

"Just try it."

I was given no time to argue before he was in the air again. I reached out toward him, but immediately dropped my hand. Hawks and Saiko just looked at me while Momo smiled in reassurance. I didn't understand what he was trying to do. Decelerating molecules wouldn't be impossible because I had done it countless times before, and on scales much larger than a man of his size, but I had never attempted to do so on a _human_ before.

Hawks launched himself toward me and I dove to the side to avoid a punch from him. If I could place my hands on him, _maybe_ I could do what he wanted me to, but considering I haven't been able to even get close to him under normal circumstances, I knew this was next to impossible. I was left only able to dodge his attacks while the gears in my head began spinning. _Think, Ume, think._

I've only ever been able to touch something in order to get my Quirk to activate. Because I couldn't physically _touch_ the air, I was never able to affect the molecules in any way. How could decelerate molecules if I couldn't—

_Oh_.

"Oh, shit."

Saiko burst into laughter. I somersaulted to avoid a few feathers that were thrown at me, but as soon as my fingers brushed against the ground I understood. Molecular manipulation allowed me to alter any substance, because molecules were _everywhere_. The air was no exception. I may not be able to do anything to the air itself, but if I could focus on the molecules within a certain vicinity, then I could use that as a conduit to do what Hawks wanted me to.

It certainly wouldn't be easy with all that was happening. I needed time, and I needed to _focus_. I wasn't even given a second in between attacks and it was impossible to even _think_ about what I wanted to do, but if this was something I wanted, then I would do anything to achieve it.

The truth was that Hawks and Saiko were trying to push me to a potential I didn't even know I had. Until recently, I had only gotten by with average, and I realized that I no longer wanted to be complacent with mediocrity. I held onto the belief that I could be something more. My classmates and friends all saw it before I did, and I wanted to slap myself for not seeing it earlier, either. If my Quirk could be used to a previously unknown degree, then I was willing to reach that degree. Yūei's motto was Plus Ultra, and being a student there meant I had to embody those words to the fullest.

Hawks flew straight at me, but rather than hesitate and dodge again, I held out my arms. I would be getting nowhere by continuing to avoid him. I could feel a sharp tingle on my fingertips, one that rippled and jolted up my arms. It made my muscles twitch, and I could feel the air getting heavier. It was slow, gradual, but then sped up, and that pressure continued to increase until it was difficult to breathe. I squeezed my eyes shut for only a moment until I reopened them, and when I did, Hawks was just a few feet away from me, caught in mid flight. His wings moved at an alarmingly slow rate, like he was stuck in slow motion. My eyes widened.

_Now's my chance._

Reaching forward, I slapped him.

* * *

As a young girl, I remember not even wanting to be a hero. I can't quite recall what I had dreams of being— most likely something hopelessly optimistic, like an astronaut or prime minister or something of the sort. Or maybe I didn't have a dream at all. Needless to say, I always had a desire to be _something_, and this was long before I realized the way my parents looked at me. Sometimes I wished I could go back to those days of blissful ignorance, but now that I know who I am today, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

There were times where I envied and even resented Momo, because it's as if her destiny was already laid out for her. She was praised and put on a pedestal, treated almost like a goddess just to make sure she stayed on the right path. Everyone knew she was going to be a great hero, but did she know it, too?

Like every teenage girl, she had her insecurities. She sometimes worried about her figure and fretted about her hair. She would speak to me about whether she would find a suitable husband in the future, and if the person she aspired to be was the same person she was now. Momo had a vulnerable side, but it was only shown around me, and only when the weight of the world was beginning to crumble on her shoulders.

She was crying.

Training went well. Hawks and Saiko helped the both of us individually before sending us home and asking to meet them again the next day. Momo made a beeline to her room rather than prepare herself a cup of tea, and this break in routine worried me. I followed her.

She said nothing as I stood in her doorway, and it wasn't until I asked what was wrong that she fell into my arms and broke. These moments we had together weren't uncommon, but that didn't make them hurt less. I think maybe we were a bit more sensitive than most people, but maybe that's what contributed to the closeness of our bond. We understood what it was like to hurt. But right now, I needed to know—

What was hurting my sister?

"What's wrong, Momo?" I whispered. She leaned against my shoulder while quiet sobs wracked her body.

"I can't," she mumbled softly. "I can't do this anymore."

My heart skipped a beat.

"Can't what?"

"I'm so _tired_." A few more tears fell. "I'm so tired of being perfect—"

Some people would scowl at this. But Momo was not conceited. She was not vain or arrogant. She was well aware of her limits, what she could or couldn't do. I understood fully what she meant. I found that constantly being praised as a child could lead to one of two paths. They could end up like Bakugo, who was so deeply assured in his abilities. Or, they could end up like Momo, who had developed a crippling fear of failure over the years. She wasn't perfect, she never was, because she was human. It upset me that so few people were aware of this.

"It's alright," I murmured. "Momo, you don't have to cry. It's alright."

I wrapped my arms around her in a tight embrace.

"I know people constantly make you out to be something you aren't, but you don't have to live like that anymore. You know who you are and nothing to can that away from you," I said quietly. "I love you, Momo. You're amazing."

"You don't mean that—"

"I _do_. How could you think I don't?"

She sniffed. "I'm sorry, I didn't…"

"It's okay."

We sat like this for a while. In the silence, I couldn't stop thinking about how this house has become like a prison for us. It was toxic and suffocating and the more time I spent in it, the more I felt like rotting away. I'm sure Momo felt the same.

When she pulled away, her eyes were red and she still quivered slightly, and yet, she still managed to smile.

"Do you want something to eat?" I asked. Momo nodded, and I got to my feet, my hand slipping out of hers. Returning her smile, I then exited her room and stepped out into the hall. I looked around momentarily before making my way to the kitchen. The kitchen was the one part of my house I seldom set foot in, simply because I didn't need to, but fixing Momo and I a quick snack wasn't a difficult task that required the aid of a housemaid.

When I stepped through the kitchen doors, I paused upon seeing my mother open a cabinet door. She glanced at me for a moment before returning to whatever she was looking out, and slipped out a bottle of whiskey.

"Are you still training with that woman, Ume?" she asked. I turned to her and narrowed my eyes at how she referenced Saiko.

"Um... yes," I coughed out. "I am. Until the day of the Sports Festival."

She clicked her tongue. "You'll never be what you think you are."

I paused. My mother took out a glass and began pouring the whiskey into it.

"I know Saiko believes in you, and perhaps Momo does too." She narrowed her eyes. "You shouldn't get too comfortable."

"Why not?"

"You're hardly worth the time of day. That's why."

I clenched and unclenched my fists in a futile attempt to curb my anger. Every time I did, I only got more upset. My body began to tremble and the longer she stared at me the more I wanted to yell at her about how wrong she was.

"I'm going to do my best," I said. "I'm going to be a hero."

My mother snorted. "And who will you save?"

"As many people as I can!"

I flinched when she slammed the glass against the kitchen island. She pursed her cherry red lips as she swallowed the amber liquid, and turned to me with a venomous gaze, as if what I had said was blasphemous. My mother was upset that I was finally defending myself, but that didn't matter to me. I no longer wanted to be her emotional punching bag, someone who was meant to make her feel better about herself. I was my own person, and if she was going to be upset over that, nothing about that was my fault.

"You must know your place, girl," she hissed.

"I _do_ know my place, and it certainly isn't below you," I retorted. "I'm more than what you think I am."

"Since when did you become so bold?"

"Since I realized how awful of a mother you are."

She deeply inhaled, her face turning a brilliant shade of red. She quickly downed the rest of the drink in the glass, and then uncapped the bottle of whiskey and drank the rest of that in a few large gulps. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and just when I thought she was going to get another bottle, she fell to her knees, buried her face into her hands, and began crying.

"Everything I've done was for _you_!" she yelled. "How could you do this to me?! How could you be so ungrateful?!"

"You treated me like garbage for as long as I could remember!" I shouted. "You've done nothing but make me feel like I was worth nothing! I have people who love and care about me, and that's more that can be said for you."

"People _do_ love me! I'm an actress! People love my movies! They love what I do!"

I sighed quietly. "Why do you blame me for the hate you give yourself?"

She lost it.

She grabbed the empty bottle and chucked it in my direction. I yelped as I ducked underneath it, and it shattered against the wall behind me.

"I hate you!" she screamed. "I hate you, I hate you, you stupid girl! I wish you were _never_ born! I wish you were dead! I wish Momo was my only daughter! _I hate you!_"

There was a burning in the back of my throat. I had never heard these words before, not from her, at least. Maybe that's why they hurt so badly. Maybe it's why I looked as she started bawling again, felt this awful twisting in my stomach, and left.

* * *

Everything was falling apart. But I didn't care.

A sapling I passed by faded into dust when I brushed my hand against its leaf. A breeze blew away the remnants of what once was a bike railing. I had run off to some park, not even sure of where I was, but I didn't care about that either. I just wanted to feel empty.

I didn't want to believe my life was a series of ups and downs, but it was starting to feel more and more like that. It was like everything that could go wrong has, and no matter how much I tried to push through it, how much I smiled, how much I said I would get through this, something would _always_ come along and remind me to stay down. Maybe, just this once, I should.

I wanted to give up.

I couldn't bring myself to keep walking. I collapsed onto a bench and leaned my head back. It was well into the night. The navy blue sky served as the perfect backdrop for the millions of stars that glimmered. Some were brighter than others, but they were all equally beautiful. It was almost enough to make me cry.

"Princess?"

I closed my eyes for a moment before reopening them. When I turned my head, crimson eyes stared into mine, somehow brightened by the street lamps that lined the trail. I somehow gathered the energy to lift my lips.

"Good evening, Bakugo."

He was dressed in an athletic jacket and sweatpants, panting slightly. He wiped the sweat off his forehead as he furrowed his brows.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he asked. I clicked my tongue.

"I don't know."

"You don't _know_?"

"I needed to get away."

Bakugo looked more confused than before. He trod up to me and inspected me carefully as though I was hiding something.

"Slacking off before the Sports Festival, bastard?" he hissed. When I didn't respond, his expression softened ever so slightly. Usually, I would joke about this. How our encounters outside of school were so coincidental it was almost concerning, but I couldn't bring myself to even smile. At this point, I felt so empty and so discouraged, I wasn't sure how I was possibly going to get home.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" he continued. I sighed. "You look depressed as shit."

"Bakugo…"

My head lolled to the side as I looked at him.

"My mother told me she wishes I was dead."

His shoulders almost immediately fell. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"Shit…"

It was the first time I had seen him at a loss for words. Bakugo, who was always so loud and quick tempered, always had something to say, was quiet. I wanted to laugh at the prospects of the situation.

Instead, I started crying.

I hated crying, and yet, I did it so often. I felt stupid and useless and ridiculous for always having something to cry about. And thinking about how foolish I felt and surely looked only made me sob harder. These pity parties were so pointless, so shallow and utterly selfish, and they only ever made me feel worse, but I was stuck in a vicious cycle I couldn't pull myself out of. I was sad and angry and confused and lost, but who could I run to about it? Momo was going through her own situation and I didn't want to bother Miss Lila or any of my other friends. They had already helped me through so much, I couldn't dare to ask more from them. Saiko would probably get upset and Bakugo—

"Oi."

Bakugo was still here.

I looked at him again, only this time, he handed a popsicle to me. I questioned to myself where he got it, but the thought that followed was how long I had been crying for. Maybe he had gone and come back. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I gingerly took it and bit into it. Bakugo sat on the bench beside me and leaned forward.

"You're always crying," he muttered. I nodded.

"I know."

"You gonna talk to her?"

"I dunno."

Maybe Momo would. But I couldn't know for sure. I was still stunned by the encounter at all, my mind was a whirlwind of nonsense and _bullshit_ and I couldn't even think straight. I just felt this deep consuming sadness, and it made me wonder when existing became so difficult.

"Thank you, by the way," I murmured as I took another bite of the popsicle. "I felt awful, but… this makes it feel a little better."

"Yeah, whatever," Bakugo responded. He finally relaxed and leaned back. I tried not to think much of when our hands brushed against each other, that his skin, and _he_—

"Warm."

"What?" He turned to me with knitted brows.

"Your hands are warm," I reiterated. "Did you know that?"

"No."

"Oh. Well, you do now."

"You're so fucking annoying."

My lips lifted slightly. "Hey, Bakugo. Why do you want to be a hero?" I asked. "You got really upset when Shinso-san said you were better off a villain. So it means a lot to you, right?"

He clicked his tongue. He didn't look at me for a while, simply remaining quiet while the stars continued to shine. And then, when he turned to meet my eyes, he spoke.

"Heroes are the embodiment of victory," he spoke. "They always win in the end. I want to be that."

"No wonder you're so competitive," I chuckled slightly.

"Yeah, so what? If I'm not at the top, then what fucking good am I?"

"You're plenty good."

"I'm not settling for anything less than first place."

"Why not?"

"Because I—"

He immediately cut himself off. Bakugo's gaze flickered cautiously, and then he turned away. There was something he wanted to say. I had no doubt about it. I just wanted to know _what_. I had heard that Bakugo was constantly praised as a child and it's contributed majorly to the person he is now. If he was as alike to Momo as I thought they were, then that meant he was someone who based his worth based on how well he did against others. He was a walking inferiority complex hidden behind an aggressive superiority complex. He had layers upon layers of expectations placed upon him, I'm sure. It wasn't that he refused to let anyone down, but that he absolutely couldn't.

Unconsciously or not, I grabbed his hand.

"What're you—?"

I looked at him and he silenced himself.

"You don't have to hate yourself, you know," I muttered. Immediately, Bakugo yanked his hand away.

"What the fuck? Who says I hate myself?" He glowered. "You're making assumptions about me?"

"I know—"

"You don't know shit about me! Just 'cause we talk sometimes and sit next to each other in class?"

I frowned. "You don't have to get so defensive."

"You're projecting your shitty insecurities onto me!"

I promptly rose to my feet.

"Don't say that!" I shouted. "I'm not doing that!"

Bakugo stood, too. "Then where did that shit come from?!"

"You were opening up to me—"

"That wasn't opening up, dumbass!"

"I'm just trying to be nice you… you _asshole!_"

He lunged forward and grabbed my collar. I was quick to grab his wrist and we stumbled back. My cheeks were burning in anger and my body was trembling and now, I was incensed at where this has landed us.

"You don't know a damn thing about me," Bakugo hissed. "So quit projecting onto me and fuck off!"

"I'm not—!"

I swept my foot between his ankles and the loss of balance sent us both tumbling to the ground. I fell onto him and pinned his arms to the ground. The sting of tears pricked my eyes and I blinked desperately to keep them from falling.

"I'm not projecting!"

"Why the fuck are you getting so angry?!"

"Because I'm not _her_!" I yelled. "I'm not my mother! I know I'm stupid and worthless and weak and _fucked up_ but I'm trying! I'm trying _so_ hard just to be what she wants me to be, but she never looks at me! Why does she never look at me?! Why am I not— why am I never good enough?!"

"Ume!"

I was suddenly thrown to the ground and Bakugo's shadow hovered over me. The tears fell again. I sobbed and wailed, each gasp I took feeling like a weight on my lungs, and my heart felt like it had been ripped out of my chest and stomped on. I had never felt so dispirited before; so weak and vulnerable, so terrible about myself. No matter how many times I had been put down I always felt that I could bounce back. But this time, I was now completely, wholly defeated. I wanted to disappear.

"Who the fuck are you?" Bakugo demanded. I couldn't even speak. Not like this. "There's no way you're Ume. The Ume I know isn't this shitty."

"Mmn…?"

"If you aren't good enough, then why the fuck are you even here, huh?!" he shouted. "Why the fuck are you at Yūei, and wasting time training for the Sports Festival? What the fuck kind of drugs are you on, dumbass?!"

"I..."

"You think you need _her_ approval to be worth something? Since when do you need anyone's approval but your own? Is that the type of life you're living, looking for what other people think?! Is _that_ your best self?!"

I didn't realize it at first, but Bakugo—

He was crying, too.

"If you're this shallow, then I'm fucking disgusted to think I ever considered you as someone I admired."

_What?_

"You aren't the only one hurting, and you aren't the only one who _needs_ to hurt! You think you're the only one who hates yourself?" Bakugo's grip around my wrists tightened. "You're so fucking annoying. I'll kill you."

"I'm sorry," I choked out. "I know I'm stupid, I'm sorry—"

"You aren't, dumbass."

"I just want to be good, Bakugo."

He frowned. "Then _be_ good."

_God._

Everything was a mess and a part of me was feeling like I was reverting back to the old Ume. This was hardly any different from the first real interaction Bakugo and I had, either. The irony was enough to make me want to laugh. My world was falling in on itself, and everything I knew or thought I knew had totally been redefined. I was so unsure about what tomorrow would bring and that instilled so much fear into me. I didn't know what to do in regards to myself or my mother or Momo; I feared that all this training would end up in vain and I would just fail; everything I had worked for in these past two months would just be pointless. I couldn't describe it. I just wanted things to be okay.

But I had to take upon myself to _make_ this things okay. Bakugo's words permeated in my head before settling into my system and I slowly became more and more aware of why he said those things. Nothing he ever did was to be nice. If he said something, it's because he completely and fully believed it. Bakugo was somehow so genuine in the most unconventional of ways, and here we were, on the ground in a quiet park at night, yelling our true emotions to each other because we had no idea how else to express it.

I had all these conflicting feelings raging war within me, but there was one thing that was clear and absolute: I wanted to be a hero. And Bakugo was right. No matter my mother and forget everything related to her. If I wanted to be my best self then I had to absolutely believe I could. If I wanted to help others, I had to prove that I was willing to. Saying and believing things didn't mean a single thing until they were acted upon.

And Bakugo said he admired me.

It was like time had blurred or maybe stilled. We were angry and crying and on the verge of killing each other one moment and the next, our faces were mere inches apart, and with the both of us still reeling from what just happened or what was happening now, we pressed our lips together.

A part of me wasn't fully aware of my actions. I had one foot in this cyclone of whirring emotions, but the other trying to find stable ground, but my body still melted into the kiss. His lips were warm and astonishingly soft, and it wonderful but so, _so_ wrong on so many levels.

That's why I pulled away. Bakugo seemed more stunned from the fact I did than the fact we kissed at all, but with the realization of what we had done, my ability to think critically had all but disappeared, and I was left a stuttering mess. We messed up. We had done something we absolutely shouldn't have and now—

"Shit."

We looked at each other.

"I-I'm so sorry," I floundered. "I didn't— I-I mean, I wasn't— I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, i-it was in the moment and I was emotional and—"

He said nothing. Instead, he stood up along with me, turned on his heel, and walked away. I was left alone in the light of the street lamps.

* * *

When I got home, I was in a daze. A few maids came up to me asking where I was, but their voices were muffled, like I was listening to them from behind a closed door. I wasn't even aware of where I was walking, but I somehow ended up in Momo's room. She was on her bed, reading a book of some kind, but as soon as she saw me, she gasped and threw her book to the side, and immediately hurried toward me,

"Ume?" she asked, placing her hands on my shoulders. "Are you okay? You were gone for some ti—"

"Bakugo and I kissed."

She recoiled.

"O-Oh…" Slowly, her eyes widened. "Oh, my goodness."

I nodded, but I knew that wasn't important now. I sighed and gently grasped her hand, brushing my thumb over her knuckles.

"Are you okay, Momo?"

She smiled softly, but there was a sadness behind it. "What will happen now, Ume?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "I don't know what to do."

_But._

"But whatever happens, we'll just fight through it. We have each other, after all."

She tightly hugged me and I returned the gesture. For the first time in what felt like forever, I finally smiled. I was relieved I was able to at all, because today came like a hurricane, and I was in no way prepared for it. But I knew I wasn't alone. I had my friends, Momo, Saiko, even Bakugo. But always and in the end, even if I had no one left, there would always something that remained.

Me.

* * *

_"Is it wrong for me to see Kirishima as a love interest for Ume? The last scene on the train really convinced me that his words changed her perspective on her quirk and they did. The insecurities, self-doubt, every negative thing she went through for years. Want to meet people's expectations, believing that she's a monster, the internal conflict and family drama with her mother is too much. But Momo, Saiko and Class 1-A will be there for her, no matter what. Ume is so realistic and relatable, I love her already! :) OCs can be hit or miss, but Ume managed to surprise me. Her quirk reminds me of FMA, and I'm interested to see how she and Shigaraki will interact. Their quirks are similar, I can see a AU story of Ume joining the League of Villians. Who is Saiko's husband? I still believe it's All Might, but it could be someone we didn't expect. Maybe Hawks? Bakugo is a jerk, but we all know for a fact that he cares about Ume and everyone else."_ — De hearts 26

Thank you for your kind words! A few people do enjoy KiriUme, we'll see how their relationship develops in the future ;^) An AU involving Ume joining the LoV would certainly be interesting! I'm not sure if I would write it, but if anyone else would, you're one hundred percent free to!

_"Something that I really enjoy about this story is how introspective it can be but without being overbearing. Those scenes where we can read how Ume sees a certain situation or a certain person are especially insightful. Being able to understand her so in depth makes it easier to understand her and her growth, not simply as a hero but also as a person." _— Keelan1210

Thank you! Every time I write about those little realizations Ume has, it makes me feel like I'm understanding her more as a character. I try to make her a realistic and relatable person, so I'm glad its paying off!

_"Oh you sneaky author. _

_I was (and am) still rooting for Bakugou, but that last scene with Kirishima pulled on my heartstrings just right. I'm so glad that you spend so much time on developing Ume's relationships with her classmates, it truly feels as if she were part of the canon BNHA universe. And it's such a shame she isn't. She's one of the deepest, best developed Original Characters I've come across in fanfiction, especially in this fandom. Anyway! Sorry for rambling. It's just... I don't know, my heart skips a beat every time you update. And you update so often, it makes me ashamed of how much I'm neglecting my own story. Mad respect for how hard you're working on this story._

_Have a nice day and I'll stay tuned for the next update. Amazing work, as always."_ — aetherish

I apologize for condensing your review, but I can't thank you enough for what you said. I kept rereading it because of how lovely it was. It truly makes me happy that Ume is a character you enjoy reading about. Thank you for your continued support, and I hope I can keep delivering something that you can say you enjoy reading.

* * *

**A/N:**

Yes, okay, so a _lot_ happens in this chapter, but I think the most important takeaway is Ume's new discovery of what she can do with her Quirk. I knew from the get-go that I didn't want it to be limited to just what she usually does with it, and I also realized that she hardly partakes in close combat. While figuring out ways to have her overcome that, I realized that molecular speed alteration was very much something she could change. This won't be something that immediately grants her a power boost, and her biggest weakness so far is that she's still vulnerable in close combat.

I was debating heavily on whether or not to include the kiss scene, but I ultimately decided to because of where it will take Bakugo and Ume's relationship from this point onward. It should be noted that they are _not_ official, far from that, actually. They may admire each other, but they still don't have any romantic feelings for each other (yet). This is a slow burn after all, but I _will_ say not to expect this to strengthen or help their friendship in any way ;^)

Also, yes, Hawks is here! I'm moreso excited for the internship arc than the sports festival because of what I have planned for Ume in that regard. Do you think she'll intern with Hawks? And do you think he and Saiko are "just friends"? Let me know what you all think~

Thank you for reading, and I'll see you all again soon!


	9. Postscript

**Disclaimer: **I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**ix. postscript**

—

* * *

The weeks leading up to the Sports Festival were probably the worst I've ever experienced. Each day was a reflection of the last and somehow contained the parts that I desperately tried to avoid. Class time was arguably the worst of it. Sitting behind Bakugo was never an issue. I knew the kind of person he was, and although he was infuriating on his worst days and tolerable on his best, I had gotten used to looking at his back, occasionally his eyes if he chose to speak to me or yell at Midoriya. It was our routine.

We hadn't spoken since the kiss.

The memory of it popped into my head during the most unexpected of times. It was never a thought; never a simple _Ah, we kissed,_ but _always_ the exact moment. The warmth. The softness of his lips. The feeling in the bottom of my stomach that was a mixture of relief, want, and rejection. I hated myself for allowing it to happen, but I felt worse at the fact I actually enjoyed it. It was something I constantly worked to ignore, to try to deny, but I knew the way my body fell against his and how I closed my eyes, wondering if that moment could have lasted a little longer, or maybe if I hadn't thought about how wrong it was—

That wouldn't have happened if I disliked it.

Even eye contact was too much for us. Momo was still the only one who knew about it, while everyone else remained blissfully unaware of what happened between us. I intended to keep it that way. I could only imagine Mina practically talking my ear off while everyone else would try to poke and prod their way into a situation that didn't involve them. I didn't want to be forced into a corner.

That aside, home was just as bad, if not worse. I did everything I could to avoid my mother, even climbing in through the windows or asking Miss Lila to let me inside through a different entrance. Her words still lingered in my head. I didn't want to believe what I knew was true, but after experiencing _that_, how could I not? It was a secret even bigger than the one I kept with Bakugo, one that not even Momo knew. She didn't hear the altercation because the size of our mansion could hide things like that, but it was eating me up inside.

Little by little, I had slowly felt like I was being liberated of my restraints because of the people around me, my friends. Midoriya, Mina, Kirishima, Shinso, even Momo herself were all helping me to understand that the life I lived then was by no means the life I had to live now. I wanted to be the best version of myself, and I was willing to go through hell and back to achieve that.

It was this one single event that made me question if this was all worth it. I found myself struggling to find motivation in the things I did. Training became a laborious task that I no longer wanted to do. I loathed the thought of the Sports Festival and figured that if I had another two chances, then I'd just try again. School was no longer something I looked forward to because I knew I'd have to see Bakugo. But where else could I go between there and home?

In a matter of a few days, everything I had worked towards, the person I had become, had all come crumbling down. I barely slept on some days and rested far too long on others. I no longer had the will to spend time with my friends; eat lunch with them; take the train home; laugh and share memories of days gone by and days that had yet to come. And the worst part was that I couldn't even call myself sad. Because I felt nothing. There was a pit that formed within me, a hole where my heart once was that now contained a deep, engulfing emptiness.

I felt like a shell, isolating myself because maybe, just _maybe_ they were all lying about everything they had said about me, and if they were I wouldn't be able to handle that pain. It came to a point where I couldn't release my frustration in the form of tears because that required energy that I simply didn't have. I had become a ghost of my former self. I was nothing.

And then my Quirk stopped working.

I had always hypothesized that my Quirk was directly related to my emotional state, but I never put much thought into it because I thought I had a relatively decent grasp on my emotions. I was six the last time this had happened, and it wasn't until a full year later that I could utilize it again. But thinking about that— waiting an entire _year_ before my Quirk could work again— didn't faze me. I slowly began thinking that I wouldn't be alive for that long. I was spiraling.

It was three days before the Sports Festival when Saiko took me, and only me, to her house. I didn't understand why, but I didn't question it. I was at least a bit relieved to get out of my own home, but Momo was alone and I had a need to be near her. When Hawks wasn't there to greet us like he usually did, I asked if something was wrong, but Saiko led me inside, sat us on the couch, and pulled me in for a tight hug.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Sorry?" I furrowed my brows. "For what?"

I almost didn't expect her to respond, but she did.

"Ume," she said. "How long have you been hurting like this?"

"Like…?"

"You've always been a bit sad, haven't you?" she asked. "Even when you're happy?"

"I guess…"

She hugged me tighter.

"I'm so sorry for not realizing it earlier. For not checking up on you more and asking how your day was. For not doing better to make sure that you were safe and healthy. But most of all—"

When she pulled away, there were tears in her eyes, and it was my first time seeing my aunt Saiko cry.

"For making you think that you had to go through this alone."

I don't remember what happened after that. But I remember what happened the next day. I spent the entirety of it trying to hold back tears, but by the end of classes I was just about ready to explode. I was confused and sad and angry and unsure, lost and aggravated and upset that I was like this. I just wanted to be okay, to be _something_, but I felt like I had been cheated out of that and it was making me livid.

Midoriya approached me before I left. Midoriya, who was always so timid and courteous, came to me and asked if I was okay. I respected him too much to lie. So I told him no.

We decided to walk. We didn't know where, but we walked, until we found ourselves at a river bank that sloped near the water. We sat on the hill, in the grass and in silence, with nothing but a silent breeze and the setting sun that turned the sky orange and the clouds black.

"You've looked kind of sad these past couple of weeks," Midoriya finally said. "I was worried, but I didn't know what to say…"

I said nothing. Midoriya continued.

"If something is wrong, you can talk to me, Ume. We're friends, right?"

_Maybe. I think. I hope so._

"Whatever's bothering you, you can tell me."

_Where do I start?_

"You mean a lot to me, Ume. You don't have to be sad anymore. I want to help you, too…"

I looked at Midoriya. Kind, gracious Midoriya, who had more love for the world than he knew what to do with, who never gave up in the face of adversaries, who always kept his head high and smile wide. Midoriya, one of the first people to brought me out of my shell, who helped me realize why I wanted to be a hero, turned to me and said that we were friends. And that he was here for me.

I crumbled before him.

I screamed at him while imagining he was my mother. I told him that I grew up feeling like I was less than nothing, and that I was always just Momo's shadow. I told him how I learned the delicate art of hating myself. I told him that all I ever wanted was to be good enough, to feel like I could be my own person, someone I could be proud of, but I hated that I was never enough. I told him that I was so sick of whiskey and cherry red, and I just wanted a normal functioning family, and how tired I was of being sad and miserable all the time.

I told him how despite the people who surrounded themselves around me, deep down, I felt so alone and secluded, and despite all the love and support I was shown, I didn't deserve it, because if my parents didn't love me, who possibly would? I told him that my Quirk was horrible and I hated it because of what I did to that nameless woman all those years ago. I told him of the times I thought about ending my own life because surely, death couldn't be as painful as _this_. I told him, above all, that existing was single handedly the most difficult thing I've ever had to do. And I told him, finally, while crying and shaking and struggling to catch my breath—

"Maybe I'm just crazy, Deku."

Midoriya didn't say anything initially, and I didn't blame him. I had just dumped fifteen years worth of emotional trauma onto him. What could he say about that? I thought maybe he didn't have anything to say. That the reason he stood up, walked over to me, wrapped his arms around me and rested his head on my shoulder was because he didn't know what to say. But he did. He spoke.

"I get it," he muttered. "I always thought I would never grow up to be anything more than… _this_." He gestured to himself. "But I still hoped that I would because I wanted to be a hero. Even if I couldn't, I just wanted to be someone who _cared_. That's why I do everything I do, Ume. Because I care."

He smiled.

"I don't want to say 'I'm sorry' because I don't want to sound like I'm pitying you. I-I'm not! But… I think everything happens for a reason, and everything you've been through or are going through is all for something bigger in the end. Does that make sense?"

I slowly nodded. "It does."

"It's okay to feel alone and sad, but it's important to know that you _aren't_ alone, and you have people like me who will always be there for you. Did you know that, Ume?"

Lowering my head, the tears began to fall again.

"I didn't."

"I think you're amazing," Midoriya said. "Everything that you've been through matters. It matters because it's happened to you, and _you_ matter. I believe that you can be the best version of yourself, because you make others feel the same. You really _do_ bring out the best in others, Ume. That makes me glad that you're here, having this moment."

He paused.

"I'm glad we're friends."

I was ten years old when I first thought about what it would be like to die. It was an odd, morbid thought that somehow brought me solace because I was going through what I at the time believed was the hardest part of my life. The details are blurry at best, but simply put, I was sad. I was completely alone in my own world, and this was before Momo and I started to get close. I wanted to die.

I had taken the liberty of walking down the block to get some candy at a convenience store. I knew better than to stray far from home, and I told myself that I would be back within fifteen minutes or so. I was craving something sweet that day.

After picking out the candy, I went to the cashier and saw an elderly woman at the counter, silently fretting over not having enough money for her groceries. I wanted the candy, but I decided it would be better to help her out. I could always get it another day, after all. So, I dropped the candy and handed the woman what money I had. She looked at me and smiled and I could see the stars reflecting in her eyes. Instead of explicitly thanking me, she said this:

"Young lady, you have such a kind heart. We need more people like you in the world."

The things I went through were never meant to bring me down. They were lessons with the intent of pulling me up. They were experiences that made me stronger, smarter, better, and because I knew what it was like to hurt, I no longer had to be afraid.

And I no longer had to be alone.

I was learning so much during my time in Yūei, but there were things I was still disillusioned and blinded by. I always felt the need to do things on my own and never rely on the people around me more than once because I didn't want to be an inconvenience. I had let my emotions pile up until I was no longer able to control them, and here I was, making my friends and family worry. I grew up always thinking I had to be alone without realizing how wrong I was.

The Sports Festival wasn't a statement to the millions of people who watched, but a testament to ourselves. It was proof that we were hero worthy, not because we had good Quirks or wanted to even be a hero, but because we gave a damn enough to push ourselves to do well, to prove that _we_ were the people who cared, and we were the ones who protected those who couldn't defend themselves.

With my mind so gray I wasn't aware of the kind of people who were in front of me. They were so kind and compassionate, but more than that, they believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. I was so obsessed with being strong for the sake of everyone around me that I didn't realize that heroes needed saving, too. And in those instances, they could no longer rely on themselves. I needed to let go. The fear, the guilt, the regret, I needed to let go of it all.

The kiss with Bakugo and the fight with my mother were just bumps in the winding road that was life, and that was okay. The end of this world wasn't coming because they happened, and neither was the end of mine. I needed to remember to breathe. I had already worked toward so much, and it would be a massive shame not only to everyone around me, but to myself as well to let it all go to waste. I realized that if I wanted to be the type of person I dreamt of being, I had to be okay with the bad moments and the good. I had gone through so much already. I think I could handle a bit more.

The story of Yaoyorozu Ume was never about me so much as it was about the people around me. I just happened to be in the middle of it. I wanted to be a hero not only because I wanted to be a better person, and I wanted to protect the people I loved, but because I cared enough to do either of those things. No one said it would be an easy journey, but I had people who I could rely on when things became difficult. I was not alone. I never was.

And with that came another realization.

I no longer had to cry or feel like I had no one. Because the truth was, I had _everyone_. From random strangers on the street to Pro Heroes who stood proud to the one person who shared my DNA, I always had someone with me. In my heart, in my mind, they were there. And even if they weren't, _I_ was. I always existed. And I would always be here.

I peeled away from Midoriya and stepped towards the river. The current was calm and slow, and reflected the orange sun against the surface. Slowly, I placed my hands onto it, and the sound of crackling entered my ears as ice gradually encased the entire surface. My damp fingertips danced across the frost for a moment before I lifted them. Smiling, I turned to Midoriya, and I saw him swipe his hand over his eyes, blinking away tears that were beginning to form.

"I can't express my gratitude for you," I told him. "But I want you to know something."

"What is it?"

"Whether or not you're aware of it—" I smiled a bit wider. "You're my hero, Deku."

* * *

The night of the Sports Festival, I decided to do something that I've never done before, and that was let go. I called Saiko and thanked her for everything that she's done for me, and that I would continue to work hard to make her proud. I spoke to Miss Lila and told her about my troubles, my worries and concerns, but I also told her that I wouldn't allow them to define me. Not anymore. I held Momo and confided in her about the argument mother and I had two weeks ago, and although what she said still stung, I told her that I had people who loved me, and that was all I needed.

Restless from the anxiety of what the next day was going to hold, I took a few moments to write that letter to myself. It was rushed and done in a half awake stupor, but I decided that I could no longer run away from the things that scared me, but rather, face them head on. It read as such:

_Dear Ume,_

_This is my first time ever doing something like this, but I thought it would be a good idea. I'm not quite sure what to say, so I'm sorry if this is a bit of a mess, but I have to start somewhere._

_I'm sorry._

_I've allowed you to live such a miserable life. I've done nothing but made you cry and hurt, let you wallow in your own loneliness because I thought doing so otherwise would be selfish. I was afraid of reaching out for help because I wanted you to be a hero, and I thought, _'If the heroes can't save themselves, then how could they save anyone else?' _But this was before I realized that heroes are not invincible. They are still human. And like any human, they hurt. They cry. They feel sad and lonely. _

_I've gone through the motions without a second __thought __or even a first because a part of me felt like the world owed me something. I felt like I had been cheated out of a good life without realizing it was up to me to make my own life good. If I wanted to be sad all the time, then I could, but I needed to take responsibility for myself, my actions, and my feelings. I realized that I couldn't go on like this. I realized that I was not strong enough alone, but there's nothing wrong with that. Being a Virgo, as well as growing up as I did, I sometimes tended to hide my feelings so I didn't have to make others worry. I felt like the journey to become the best version of myself was something I had to do by myself._

_I was wrong, Ume._

_I no longer want to be alone. And I no longer will be alone. Because even if the sky falls and the world stops turning, there will _always _be someone who will hold my hand and say "I'm here". You have wonderful friends, Ume. Their names are Ashido Mina, Kirishima Eijirou, Midoriya Izuku, Shinso Hitoshi, Bakugo Katsuki, Yaoyorozu Momo, and many, many others. These people taught you love. And they helped you find determination. And they gave you a purpose. They love you. They admire you. They respect you. They support you. It's your turn now, Ume. You matter. You exist. It's time for you to realize that. _

_Among metaphors and powerful words, the tears you've shed and the smiles you've shown, the souls you've touched and the connections you've made, I finally know what it is I want to tell you. _

_**I love you.**_

_And that's all that needs to be said, I think. It's almost midnight as I write this, but when you wake up I want you know that it's you who wrote this. And you never lie._

_Sincerely,_

_Ume from 23:54 _

* * *

That stadium where the Sports Festival would be held was enormous.

Thousands of people sat in the perimeter, all sorts of faces and figures melding together until they became nothing more than blobs of various colors. Their roaring cheers and shouts were so tumultuous, I could hardly hear myself think until I entered the lounging room for class 1-A, and even then they could still be heard outside.

"Aw man, I wanted to wear my hero costume!" Mina whined, pulling and prodding at the blue fabric of Yūei's uniform. I chuckled and placed my hand on her shoulder.

"You're fine, Mina," I reassured. Momo, who sat on the futon beside me, nodded.

"Our hero costumes would give us an advantage over the students in the other courses. This is the most fair way to conduct the event," she said. Nearby us, Kaminari grinned proudly and rested his hands behind his head.

"So basically, this is the ultimate test of how strong we are!" he summarized. Jiro nodded and pointed to him with one of her earlobes.

"Yeah, too bad you suck, Kaminari," she said tonelessly. The blond fell over himself in a pathetic heap, groaning in dismay at the statement that he was taking far too close to heart.

"I'm sure we'll all do well," I said. "After all, we've all been training nonstop for two weeks, haven't we?"

"Speaking of which, you look like you've gotten bigger, Umerozu!" Kirishima remarked. I froze at his word choice, and he was immediately given a smack to the back of the head from Mina.

"You jerk! Don't call her fat!"

"T-That isn't what I meant," Kirishima chuckled nervously, unfortunately having activated his Hardening a moment too late. "I mean, you look like you've been bulking up! Like your biceps, you know?"

I chuckled quietly and traced my fingers over my arms. It's true that the training with Hawks and Saiko was relentless and forced me to push my muscles past their limits. I winced at the memory of the hours I spent in ice baths, and how sore I would wake up each day. I even still had a few bruises here and there, but fortunately, they were almost fully healed.

My gaze traveled over to Midoriya, who was in a conversation with Uraraka and Tsuyu, and for one reason or another, I couldn't help but smile. It then shifted to Bakugo, who seemed to be purposefully avoiding my eyes. A part of me was still hesitant when it came to him, but I knew that I at least wanted to clear things up with him. I didn't want us to be strangers anymore.

My thoughts were interrupted with the prompt entrance of Iida, who slammed the door open and stepped into the room.

"Everyone, get ready! It's time for us to enter soon!" he proclaimed. The atmosphere suddenly became more tense and thrilling. It was slowly, but surely dawning on us that we would be under the watch of hundreds of pros, but most importantly, under the watch of each other. One by one, we stood up and followed Iida out of the door. I grabbed Momo's hand and gently squeezed it, and I smiled as wide as I could at her.

"You'll be great," I whispered. She shook her head and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"_We'll_ be great."

I laughed. When a head of ash blond graced my vision, Momo gently pushed me forward, and despite my earlier resolve I suddenly found that I was unable to even take a step toward him.

"Go," she said. Nodding, I inhaled sharply and called out Bakugo's name before he got too far. He stopped for a moment, shoulders seizing, and he stood with his back turned to me as if debating to acknowledge me or not. Ultimately, he did, as he pivoted on his heel and was now facing me.

"U-Um…" I stammered. _I didn't think I'd get this far._ "A-About what happened… I want to ta—"

"It was an accident."

My brows furrowed at the haste of his response. Bakugo stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked away, but I knew deep down he was having trouble facing me. Eye contact was still too much for him.

"Whatever it was, I'm sorry it happened, but I don't want it to be the one thing that makes or breaks us."

I took a step toward him.

"If we're going to act like complete strangers around each other, I want it to be because we got into a really big, stupid argument, and not over some dumb kiss that happened in the heat of the moment."

Another step.

"I told you I admired you, and it's true. If we face off against each other, I want us to look at each other as rivals, as _equals._"

I came closer.

"I know you're better than to avoid me over something that we both know we didn't mean. So please—"

I grabbed his wrist and felt that typical warmth flare to life, and for the first time in a long while, crimson met onyx.

"Please, look at me."

And he did. It was just for a moment— a fleeting, irrelevant second— but in that moment, the first time he looked at me with a fire burning behind his crimson irises, I thought he was beautiful.

"You're a pain in my ass," Bakugo growled, but I noticed the twitch in his lips. Chuckling, I shook my head and patted his shoulder.

"Likewise," I said, taking a few steps forward. I suddenly stopped, and I whirled around to face him. "By the way, Bakugo."

I grinned.

"Don't you dare take your eyes off me."

* * *

"_Welcome everyone, to Yūei's annual Sports Festival!"_

I was taken aback at the sheer amount of people in the stadium. I was aware that there were thousands, but actually standing here _now_ was like an out of body experience. Hawks and Saiko said they would try to watch Momo and I in person, but there were too many faces to seek them out now.

Every first year in each course all gathered in the field. I had heard that third years were almost always the most paid attention to— and for good reason, I could imagine— but this year, the freshmen had the spotlight. The thought made me shudder.

"There's so many people…" Midoriya mused, holding his hand over his chest to calm his heartbeat.

"Will we be able to perform our best in front of so many people?" Iida asked, brows furrowing.

"We have no choice but to," I said, shrugging my shoulders. Mina suddenly appeared beside me and hugged my arm.

"Just imagine them all naked!" she hummed. "That's what I do when I'm nervous."

As the individual classes lined up in front of a stage, a head of purple hair entered my peripheral. Shinso seemed to notice me before I noticed him, as our eyes met as soon as I turned. I smiled, and the tug on his lips told me that he was withholding the urge to do the same.

It was after that moment when the crowd seemed to cheer even louder than before. I questioned how that was even possible, but it made sense when our chief umpire for the year, Midnight, strut confidently across the stage. Both men and women gawked at her mature physique, which she obviously delighted in, showing that by flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"Is that really what she's wearing?" Kirishima groaned, eyes fluttering away as he tried to conceal the growing blush on his face. I chuckled and gently nudged Momo.

"You'd think they'd be used to it, considering what your hero costume is," I teased. She retaliated by giving my arm a quick slap.

"You're the one who designed it!" she huffed.

"Everyone, quiet now!" Midnight announced. "Representing the students is Bakugo Katsuki of Class 1-A!"

I would be lying if I said my heart didn't skip a beat. I didn't know why, but I paid no attention to that. Bakugo trudged up the stairs of the stage in an uncharacteristically calm manner, which all but told me that whatever he was going to say certainly wasn't going to be flattering.

"Oh, no…" I groaned.

"I pledge—" Bakugo took in a breath. "That I'll be number one."

_Disappointed, but not surprised._

Bakugo easily shrugged off the irate chorus of boos that erupted from the other classes. 1-A, at the very least, could have expected something like this from him. Momo sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head.

"Well, he came in first place during the entrance exam," Tokoyami said, crossing his arms.

"Man, it really _is_ his fault everyone else hates us, huh?" Sero sighed, glancing at some of the students who sent stinging glares our way.

"Well then, that aside, it's time for the first event!" Midnight said, throwing her arm into the air. "An obstacle race around the stadium! Since Yūei's selling point is freedom, you're free to do whatever you'd like as long as you stay on course! Now, line up everyone!"

I watched as Bakugo climbed down the steps, hardly fazed by everything that was going on around him, including the seething eyes he received from his fellow schoolmates. I found myself envying his ability to brush off what I'm sure he considered trivial things, but he was able to do it at all because he was so confident.

"Bold," was all I said as he walked by me. He stopped at my side and scoffed.

"What, you don't believe me?"

"I never said that."

"Good," Bakugo snorted. "But in case you don't, I'll personally beat your ass."

"That isn't something you should say to a girl."

"Don't act like you're frail, Princess."

I struggled to hold back the smile that tempted to show on my face. It wasn't until I turned that I noticed the impish look on Momo's face, and I tilted my head to the side over what was amusing her so much.

"Something up?" I asked.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I just think you two are cute."

"Cute? What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what she means, Ume."

The familiar voice entered my ears despite the roaring crowd. Shinso strode past me, our shoulders brushing against each other as he did so, his amethyst eyes staring directly into mine.

"If you thought what I said to you was flirting, then I can't imagine what you consider _that_," he remarked, gesturing in Bakugo's direction.

"What?" I scrunched up my nose. "I told you already, _I_ never thought you were flirting. And Bakugo definitely wasn't either."

"You seem sure about that."

"Because I am."

He shared a knowing look with Momo, but obviously, I must have missed the memo. Shrugging his shoulders, Shinso walked forward a few spaces before stopping.

"I look forward to competing against you, Ume," he said, barely acknowledging Momo. "Try not to get caught up in the mess."

For some reason, the look in his eyes dissuade me from responding. Instead I nodded, and jogged over to where everyone else had gathered. Right away, the formation of the mob reminded me heavily of the lunch rush incident. There would be no point in trying to push _through_, which meant if I wanted a head start, I would have to go around or above. I remained near the edge of the entrance and had my fingers at the ready. Though my heart was racing, the sheer adrenaline quickly overtook whatever anxiety I had. I just hoped everyone was watching me.

_Three…_

_Two…_

_One…_

"Start!"

Almost immediately, courtesy of none other than Todoroki, the ground beneath our feet froze over. Dozens of students all rushed at once, but the frost encasing their feet prevented them from getting very far. I slammed my hand on the wall and a platform with enough space for me to run on jutted out from the side. I clambered onto it and traced my hand against the wall to disintegrate the platform as I ran across it to prevent anyone from following me.

The chill air clashed with a sudden blast of hot wind, accompanied with the sound of explosions that lit up the darkened tunnels. Bakugo smirked wildly as he passed by me, using the momentum of his explosions to carry him to the other side. I hurried to catch up.

I jumped down from the platform and saw Momo emerge from the tunnel, having created a pole from her palm to vault her over everyone. Kirishima, Aoyama, Tokoyami, and Ojiro, as well as a handful of my other classmates soon trailed behind us, but the trail of ice Todoroki created made it difficult for anyone to move quickly without slipping.

I wasn't as used to using my Quirk with my feet than with my hands. With my fingers, it was much more efficient to alter substances because I could, for lack of a better word, _feel_ the molecules better. It's something Saiko and I worked on during our training, and though it was still unrefined, I figured trying it out now couldn't be the worst decision.

Spots of ice beneath me melted away as I tried my best to focus on separating the molecules. Unfortunately, it would lead a path of my steps for other people to use, but luckily, due to the singular line formation, it wasn't something multiple people could take advantage of at once.

I kept running until a tremble shook the ground. I almost thought an earthquake was occurring, but I then noticed red gleam from between the trees, and I staggered back a few spaces when a gargantuan robot suddenly emerged before it, its metallic hide glinting threateningly against the sun's rays.

"What is that thing?" Momo gasped.

"It's from the entrance exam!" Kirishima shouted. Considering Momo and I took the specialized entrance exam for students with recommendations, it's not surprising we had never seen this thing before, but it made me blanch when considering _this_ is what most of my classmates went up against to get into Yūei.

My moment of hesitation was interrupted when another cool breeze blew. Todoroki stood at the foot of the robots, staring up at them for just a second before crouching down. His hands became coated in rime and he swiped his arm to the side, sending a massive mountain of ice upwards that almost instantly froze a few of the robots.

"He froze them!" someone called.

"We can get through!" another voice shouted. Todoroki disappeared between them, but I knew their immobilization wouldn't last long. Freezing temperatures made metal brittle, and considering the sheer weight of these robots, I knew it wouldn't take long for them to begin to fall over. With this in mind, I raced forward and crouched down, placing my fingers against the ground. I braced myself for what was going to happen next.

The ice Todoroki made crumbled apart and then shot up underneath a slab I balanced on. The metal suddenly groaned and tilted forward. As I was launched over it, I slapped my hand on a piece of it and its arm suddenly came off and fell before transforming into a pile of foam that I landed safely upon. I saw Tokoyami scale the collapsing pile of metal with his Dark Shadow, and as it slammed to the ground with a mountain of dust rising from underneath it, Kirishima emerged from the debris, yelling triumphantly.

"Someone seriously could've gotten hurt!" he shouted. Sero and Bakugo practically rocketed above him, which I took as my cue to continue ahead. I scrambled to stand up, but only made it a few feet before my path was suddenly blocked by two smaller robots. I took a step back and weighed my options, trying to decide if it was worth it to take them on, but a string of expletives derailed my train of thought as an explosion rang out in front of me. Bakugo landed before me, firecrackers bursting between his fingers, but I stomped on the ground and sent a series of pointed stones at the other robot, piercing its metallic body.

"I could've gotten that," I huffed. Bakugo rolled his eyes.

"Fuck off, you were hesitating."

"I was _deciding_."

"Same fucking thing."

"Are you lovebirds gonna keep fighting like that?!" Kirishima's voice asked from somewhere in the distance. Smirking slightly, I turned on my heel and began running, but I didn't have to look to know Bakugo was gaining quickly on me. Up ahead, I noticed a series of platforms connected by ropes, which only meant that there was some sort of drop off.

"Why aren't you using your Quirk to go faster, idiot?" Bakugo shouted, preparing to launch himself with another series of explosions.

"Because I plan to do this, _idiot,_" I snapped back. I dragged my foot in a semi-circle and created a pool of transparent paste that Bakugo stumbled within.

"What the fuck?" he exclaimed, palms glowing orange.

"I wouldn't use your Quirk if I were you!" I called, running ahead. "That's nitrocellulose adhesive! _Super _flammable!"

I ignored Bakugo screaming my name and a series of obscenities I didn't even know existed. Todoroki was still ahead of me, and he stopped for a moment before continuing on, freezing over the ropes with his ice to slide across it. I knew looking back to see who else was coming towards me would only cause me to lose focus.

Instead, I dropped to a knee and created a bridge that connected the platforms, not unlike what I did at the very beginning of the obstacle race. Pulling apart molecules wasn't nearly as difficult as forming them without the use of my hands. I could hear multiple dismayed groans at the fact my makeshift bridge crumbled apart behind me, but I'm sure they knew as well as I did that this was no time to slack off or take the easy way out.

Right now, my biggest priority was winning. Todoroki was still ahead, and with my curiosity getting the best of me, I looked over my shoulder to see Momo, Tokoyami, Iida, Kirishima, and to my surprise, Bakugo, all making their approach to the canyon. I wondered for a moment where Midoriya was, if he was okay, where he was right now. But I knew I had to have faith in him, because I know he wouldn't want me to worry like this over him.

"Ume!" Bakugo's voice screeched. I rolled my eyes. "I'll fucking kill you for pulling that stunt, stupid bitch!"

I was amused at how upset he had become, but considering I had already reached the final platform by the time he had arrived at the first drop at the canyon, I tried not to concern myself with him. Perhaps this was arrogance on my part, but it led me to think that Bakugo was rubbing off on me more than I had realized. Knowing Todoroki had no intention of stopping on his accord, I decided to take matters into my own hands. After reaching the other side, I jabbed a fist into the ground and sent a trail of mud racing toward Todoroki.

As if he had been given some sort of signal, he turned around at the perfect time and stomped his foot, instantly freezing the mud path. I clicked my tongue, mildly miffed at how quickly he was able to sense and respond to my attack, but I wasn't sure if I was comfortable trying something like that again. The others would be gaining up on me soon, and I didn't want to lose the lead I had created. That being said, if I displaced the ground, chances are Todoroki would go for a more defensive approach.

"That was uncharacteristic of you, Yaoyorozu," Todoroki remarked, exhaling an opaque cloud of his condensed breath. I chuckled.

"I think you've been spending a bit too much time around my sister," I said. "Momo would never do something like that, but me?"

I lifted my knee and brought my foot down against the ground, sending slabs of transformed asphalt careening in Todoroki's direction. As I hoped and expected, he brought his arm in front of him, creating a barrier of ice that protected against the chunks. If I couldn't stop him, then I could at least try to delay him. I ran past him and tore off a piece of the asphalt that struck his barricade. I stared into opposing pools of silver and turquoise as I ran past Todoroki, and I massaged the block in my palm, able to feel it heat up against my skin.

"Sorry, Todoroki!" I shouted before chucking the block at him. What occurred next was a decently sized explosion that would delay him for at least a few more seconds as I approached the minefield. The acceleration of molecules allowed me to essentially create mini bombs, with the size of the explosion relying on the size of the object. I didn't want to create something that would harm him, but at least stun him for a bit.

"Yaoyorozu-san!" I heard Iida shout. I pivoted on my heel, and whether or not this was some sort of insane luck on my end, I wasn't sure, because I was able to just narrowly dodge an explosion from Bakugo's fist.

"Why the fuck are you dodging, _princess_?" he spat, eyes glowing in pure anger.

"Um, because I don't want to die?" I countered, furrowing my brows.

"Don't be a smartass!"

"You asked a question, I gave you an answer." My eyes moved to where I could see a small mob of my classmates getting closer and closer. "Look, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I know you want to fight me, but that can't happen if either of us lose."

"The fuck are you saying?"

"We've got a few problems, _including_ Todoroki," I said, pointing to where the head of white and crimson belonging to the aforementioned boy was. "Let's beat them, _together_."

"Why would I work with you?"

I heaved a large sigh. Bakugo was somehow both laborious and entrancing. He was the lightest burden I've ever had to deal with, but I knew that winning _with_ him was how I was also going to win _against_ him. We both wanted victory, and whatever the reason was didn't matter. Right now, my top priority was making it across this minefield. I knew no one could use their Quirk as freely as they had before, which could put us at an advantage if the both of us were careful enough.

"I have an idea," I said. "Your sweat contains nitroglycerin, right? Let me help you."

"What?"

"I can alter some of your molecules to become sweat so that you can secrete it and create a bigger explosion. We're going to do this together."

"Since when did you start ordering me around, huh? Are you my fucking mother?"

"If you don't want to win this, then fine." I crouched down and created a ramp from the ground. "But just know that I intend to win, and I'll be damned if I lose to the likes of you."

"You've got some fuckin' nerve."

I smirked. "I learn from the best."

It was exhilarating. Although Bakugo continued to complain about my plan that he was hellbent on insisting only benefited me— and in all fairness, I did initially only think of it because I knew it would get me farther ahead, and quicker— he allowed me to grab his hand, which was damp with sweat. I could feel the individual particles that made up his being, flowing through his veins and jolting through his nerves. There was a pulling sensation that I felt against his skin when our hands dropped.

"This is so fucking stupid," Bakugo grumbled as he knelt down. I looked behind me and saw Todoroki stomp on the ground, sending glaciers our way.

"It's because we _are_ stupid," I responded, jumping onto his back. Bakugo's hands folded underneath my thighs and I wrapped my legs around his waist, with my arms doing the same around his neck.

"Don't fucking choke me!" Bakugo angrily shouted as he began running. The chill from Todoroki's ice nipped at my skin, and we just barely dodged it as Bakugo scaled the ramp and threw his arms behind him.

"If you fall off, you better not complain," he growled. I nodded and wrapped my arms around him a bit tighter. Bakugo jumped, and suddenly, we were weightless. It only lasted a heartbeat, but I could feel the warmth and energy travel through his body, radiate outwards to his arms and eventually his hands, and two massive explosions erupted from his palms, sending us flying.

The recoil caused me to jerk forward against him, which threw us off balance, but the wind was raking through my hair and the adrenaline was pumping through my veins and I almost forgot the situation we were in. I could feel Bakugo's chest rise and fall with each breath he took, his muscles twitch and contract underneath my fingertips, his hair brush against my face and neck, and I realized the sweet, slightly smoky aroma he carried.

_This is…_

"Shit!"

And then I became aware we were falling. My breath hitched, but I knew what I had to do to make sure we landed safely.

"Bakugo, this is gonna feel kind of crazy, so just bear with me!"

"What?!"

I once again allowed myself to become familiar with each molecule that made Bakugo who he was. From the blood pumping through his heart to the sweat that trickled down his forehead, there was a small pulsating underneath my fingers that I felt. I could feel our descent drastically slow down as I decelerated the movement of his molecules to the point where we looked like we were floating. It was much easier to do this considering I was physically touching him, but the fact I had successfully achieved this wasn't the most thrilling part of this experience.

I didn't come up with this plan as an excuse to be near him, but now that I was, a small part of me wished this wasn't a race that quite literally determined our future so we could remain in this moment for a bit longer. It was odd, almost uncanny, but I felt like through this, I was understanding Bakugo's humanity a bit more, and that—

_It's a beautiful thing._

I was suddenly thrown off of him and landed a few feet away. As I lifted my head, I saw Bakugo struggling to stand up, still reeling from the effects of my Quirk being used on him.

"Holy _shit_," he hissed. He furrowed his brows and then turned to me, immediately gaining a wicked grin across his face. "There's some distance between us, so now I can kick your ass," he said, punching his palm, letting off a small explosion.

"You're really intent on fighting me, aren't you?" I asked. I was hardly able to finish my sentence when Bakugo suddenly launched himself toward me. I dove to the side and found myself silently thanking Hawks for always coming at me in a similar way; otherwise, I wouldn't have possibly been able to dodge that. I slammed my hands on the ground and sent spikes jutting out from the ground towards Bakugo, which he easily demolished with an explosion. I didn't want to fight him _now_, but I knew he wouldn't give me a choice. Bakugo wasn't planning to let me go until at least one of us had a scratch.

"Remember what we talked about that night, Bakugo?" I asked, getting ready for another attack.

"We talked about a lot of shit. The fuck are you talking about?" he returned, sending a blast my way that I dodged by moving backwards.

"We did," I chuckled. "We talked about a lot of things. But I thought about it all, and right now—" I blocked another blast by creating a wall of concrete. "Right now, it just kinda reminds me of that!"

"How?"

I created a trail of adhesive that he easily avoided by aiming his palm to the ground and launching himself into the air. He then sent another blast behind him to speed towards me, and I lifted yet another concrete barrier. Unfortunately for me, Bakugo predicted this and angled his blasts so that he landed behind me.

"I'm not really sure," I admitted. "I think I'm just being reminded."

"Of?"

I was sweating profusely, my hair stuck to my face, and I was heaving out breaths. Bakugo was in the same state, and yet neither of us refused to look away from each other, as if everything around us had melted until only the two of us remained. Softly, I chuckled.

"How awful you really are."

_And yet, I like that about you._

Before the either of us could move, an eruption louder than any before sounded. We knew that a single mine being stepped on couldn't achieve that. The entire field became shrouded in a pink haze, and from it, something launched over the both of us. It was only a blur of green and blue, but Bakugo and I both knew what— or rather, _who_— it was.

"Deku?" we sounded in unison. Midoriya landed on a scrap of metal, most likely from one of the robots earlier, and didn't hesitate to get to his feet. He only looked back at us for a moment before scrambling ahead.

"No _fucking_ way!" Bakugo shouted, already preparing to move forward. So I moved first. I brushed my fingertips against the ground and felt a slab underneath me up heave. I threw my arms behind me and a wave-like structure erupted below the slab I crouched on, carrying me ahead while displacing the ground. Bakugo was behind me in seconds, with the both of us racing to catch up to Midoriya.

I hopped off the slab and began running as soon as we entered the tunnel, and suddenly all three of us were racing towards that light. I could hear the thunderous cheers of the crowd, but my heartbeat was pounding in my ears, and that craving for victory became stronger than ever before.

And without hesitation, fear, or regrets, I stepped into the light and crossed the finish line.

* * *

**A/N:**

/lays down and dies because i _finally_ finished this chapter oh my goodness and if there's typos im so sorry i didnt proofread and im running on like 4 hours of sleep—

Well, the official start of the sports festival is here, finally! I had planned from the start for Ume and Bakugo to establish a rivalry now that they're on the same page from the kiss, and I think that was my favorite part of writing this chapter. I find myself really enjoying writing their interactions together. I also consider this chapter the rebirth of a new Ume. I think this will be the last big epiphany she has about herself, but it's also the most important. I considered her having that moment with Kirishima, but since they already had their spotlight, I wanted to focus a bit more on Midoriya again.

Ume needed that final push in order to realize what she was doing this all for. Not just being a hero, but being herself— why she was so motivated to be the best version of herself, and why she cares so much about being a hero at all. That was another part that I really enjoyed writing.

With that, I thank you all for _62_ reviews, _159 _favorites and _220_ follows. None of my stories have ever reached such numbers and I am incredibly grateful for that. Speaking of which, I'd like to mention that I've published my other story, _Shooting Star,_ and it'd mean the world to me if you all could check it out and support me there, too! Thank you all for reading, and I'll see you all next time!


	10. Tinder Box

**Disclaimer: **I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**x. tinder box**

—

* * *

Growing up, perhaps because I knew I could never attain it, I had never truly striven to be number one. Being the best was never an idea that crossed my mind. I just wanted to be _more_, but as I look back at it, what did that even mean? How could I ever tell if I had become more than what I was? What did being enough entail? Was it because I wanted the same treatment as Momo, or because I wanted to stop being the thing I hated the most?

Needless to say, I came in third.

And that frustrated me more than anything.

My nails dug into the skin of my palm as I tried desperately to hold back the tears welling in my eyes. _Third place_. Why did that feel so awful? Why was I so unsatisfied? I had come in third place before, and that was on the first day of school. I had placed behind Todoroki, but ahead of Bakugo. And at that time, I was content. I didn't think I could place so highly because I never thought I was capable of it, but with the truth now clear to me, was this a testament to my growth as a person? Or was it proof I hadn't improved at all since then?

The myriad of emotions racing through my head was like a bomb had been set off. I was angry and exasperated primarily at myself for being too arrogant in the last leg of the race. _Too slow_, I kept telling myself. _You were too slow._

"Fucking _hell_."

Bakugo's voice distracted me from my moment of self loathing. He stood a few feet away with his hands on his hips, shaking his head in either disbelief or vexation. I couldn't tell if he was upset because he was in second place, or because he lost to Midoriya. I was aware of their strained relationship, but I never knew to what extent it was.

"Hey," I called out, trodding towards Bakugo. I held out my hand, but he whirled around before I could even get close to touching him. "Are you okay?"

He snorted. "I'm fine."

"You did well."

"You thought I wouldn't?"

"No." I rolled my eyes. "Can I just compliment you without you getting defensive?"

"Don't say something like that to me if I don't deserve it," Bakugo hissed before turning away. The malice spilling from his lips was almost overwhelming. Bakugo wasn't someone who ever half assed anything he did. He never gave less than his one hundred percent, because that would be an insult to who he was as a person. He didn't care about being better— he wanted to be the _best_. And that's what made what he deemed as a loss all the more infuriating to him.

"Look, I know you didn't come in first—"

"—How the fuck did _Deku_ of all people win this?"

I sighed. "But you shouldn't beat yourself up over this."

"You don't fucking get it," Bakugo said, turning around to face me. "I fucking _lost_. All that shit I did was for nothing."

"It _wasn't_ for nothing," I firmly retorted. "It wasn't for nothing, because you're going onto the next round, aren't you?"

He opened his mouth to respond, but quickly closed it. He knew I was right.

"Don't use this as an excuse to feel bad about what you did or didn't do," I continued. "Instead, use this as proof that you absolutely can place first in the next round. Use it as the motivation you need to do even better so you _can_ be first. You said it yourself, right? You're supposed to be number one in this."

I held onto my breath waiting for his response. Bakugo remained silent at first, eyes glancing cautiously at my form. I don't know if he was looking for something— maybe he wasn't— but I saw the faintest twitch in his lips and he turned his head in the other direction, jerking his arm away, which made me realize I at some point grabbed his wrist.

"Fuck off," he muttered. I smiled slightly.

"You appreciate me."

"You're a pain in the ass."

"I didn't hear a no."

Smirking, I slinked away before he could say anything more to me, but I could already imagine the list of names he was calling me in his head. I found my way to Midoriya, who had his head tilted towards the sky. I initially kept my distance, knowing that he was having his moment, but just moments later, he whipped around to face me. I greeted him with a smile and short wave of my hand, but within seconds, Midoriya's weight was against me, and I staggered back a few steps as his arms wrapped around me.

"D-Deku—?"

"Thank you, Ume."

My eyes widened.

"What?" I sputtered out. "What are you thanking me for?"

"Remember the day at the river?" he asked, pulling away so that we were looking into each other's eyes. "That day, I was having doubts about myself. I was worried that I wouldn't do well, but—"

Midoriya's eyes watered like he was going to cry. The sun was setting as we sat at the riverbed. It was a picturesque scene, something straight out of an artist's dreams, but that was the last thing I was focused on. Midoriya started shedding tears.

"You said I was your hero."

My breath hitched. "I did, yeah…"

"I didn't realize how much those words meant to me until the race started. I've always wanted to win, but I knew I absolutely _could_ win, keeping what you said in the back of my head." He smiled. "So… thank you, Ume!"

"You don't have to thank me for that, Deku," I said, smiling slightly. "It's what you deserve."

Over time, the rest of the students began trickling in through the tunnel, one by one. Momo came in at fifth, who looked as flustered as I must have when I stepped over the finish line. A part of me wanted to say something to her, but I knew this was something she could bounce back from. So I stood, watching her, until she slapped her hands on her cheeks and uttered a few words of self confidence to herself. Momo rushed over toward me not to long after, immediately pulling me in for a tight hug that lasted a few seconds longer than usual.

"I'm so _proud_ of you," she gasped. I smiled and returned the hug.

"I'm proud of _us_," I reiterated, a statement that made Momo practically glow. I caught sight of purple about five minutes later. Shinso strolled inside with a group of students trailing behind him, all carrying that dazed look in their eyes. He smirked proudly, and as soon as our eyes met, that smirk widened ever so slightly before he walked away.

"It seems you and Shinso-san have established a rivalry," Momo giggled, gently nudging me. I raised a curious brow.

"Rivalry?" I asked. I suppose in one way or another— perhaps in more ways than I was willing to admit— Shinso and I were competing against each other, but the same could also hold true for the rest of my schoolmates. In the end, we were moreso fighting to be seen by the pros rather than make it out on top, but placing first would certainly be a nice bonus.

People like Shinso always had to fight harder just to be acknowledged because his Quirk was deemed too useless, not flashy enough, unfit for a hero. And because the voice of society was _always_ louder than that of an individual, what more could he do but accept his fate?

But that was the thing— this _wasn't_ his fate. Shinso already proved everybody wrong by getting into Yūei, and I'm sure he would solidify what he knew was the truth by doing well in this. No matter the Quirk, if he or _anyone_ wanted to be a hero, then they could. And that included me, as well. I already knew I was going to do my best, but I no longer wanted to be overshadowed by anyone. I wasn't going to fall behind or allow myself to be silenced knowing I could do well. In the simplest of terms, I was going to _fight._

_I don't plan on losing to you._

* * *

"Congratulations to everyone who made it through!"

We stood in front of Midnight, similar to before the race began. Some students looked exhausted, still panting from having to race around the entire stadium, juggling obstacles and other people, but for the most part, we were all relatively unscathed. Midnight lifted her arm into the air before pointing a finger at us all.

"Now, for the next event!" she began, pausing for dramatic effect. "A cavalry battle!"

"Cavalry?" Momo asked, furrowing her brows. "With all of us?"

"Nope! Only the first thirty two students who made it in the race will participate!"

A large majority of the students fell to their knees with the atmosphere becoming significantly more glum. Midnight shooed them away with a simple flick of her wrist, and the mob surrounding the platform she stood on became far less dense as a large majority of people left the area. I took a moment to glance at who was left; to my relief, most of class 1-A remained, along with some students from 1-B and even a few from other courses.

"Damn…" I heard Kirishima mutter elsewhere. Clearing her throat, Midnight demanded our attention again, smirking slightly as she swiped a finger over one of her eyebrows.

"Now then, here's how it'll occur!" Midnight's voice boomed. "You'll get into groups of four people! Each person will be given a point value based on their placement in the race! Your job is the take as many points as possible, and the two groups with the most points will advance to the next round!"

"Only eight people?" someone exclaimed.

"Two thirds of everyone here will be eliminated?" another asked, exasperated. I could suddenly feel the tension that settled in the air and fell upon us all like a heavy weight.

"And, with ten million points under his belt, the first place winner… Midoriya Izuku!"

Almost immediately, everyone, including myself, whipped around to face Midoriya, who stood frozen like a statue. He gulped nervously, unable to even take in a breath when Midnight suddenly sounded a whistle that signaled us to form our groups. Everyone suddenly scurried away, notably from Midoriya, who still remained shell shocked.

"Deku!" I called out. It seemed my voice was enough to pull him out of his daze; Midoriya turned to me, blinking a few times as I approached him. Smiling, I held out my hand.

"Let's team up," I said.

"What?" Midoriya furrowed his brows. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I am. I trust you."

His shoulders tensed and the promptly relaxed. Midoriya grinned and stepped closer to me, and looked around, eyes scanning the rest of the students.

"Do you know who else you'd like to join?" he asked. I nodded firmly and pivoted on my heel with one person on my mind. Despite the fact his back was turned to me as I walked towards him, he turned around just as I reached out, as if he knew I was there.

"Oh?" Shinso gave that typical wry grin he seemed to enjoy wearing so often. "Is this an invitation to join your team?"

"It is," I said.

"What if someone else wants me?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I suppose they'll have to make do with who is left."

"You're quite assertive today."

"I can help you." I paused, contemplating the choice of my words. "We can help each other."

"Are you looking down on me, Yaoyorozu?"

"Not at all," I countered. "Look, maybe you think that you'll just bring me down, but I know who I want on my team. You're one of them."

His lips twitched downward.

"You're just taking pity on me," he muttered, eyes shifting to the ground. "I shouldn't be here, Yaoyorozu. You know what I did to make it here."

"That doesn't matter. You're here _now_, and whether or not you like it, you'll have to fight your way through."

I went to grab his wrist, but Shinso yanked his arm away and moved back a few spaces. His eyes refused to meet mine.

"I want to be a hero—" he started, curling his hands into fists. "But I don't want to become one like this."

"Like _what?_"

"Without using my own strength. My Quirk forces me to depend on other people, never allowing me to become stronger—"

I held my breath.

"What kind of hero can I become like _this_?"

_Hero._

That word has dominated my life from the moment I was born. It was the first word my ears processed. I didn't doubt it would be my last. It was in the cherry blossoms that bloomed every spring and the snowflakes that fell every winter. It was the tears I shed and the stars I dreamt of. It was my comfort and my despair.

It's what we wanted.

Shinso Hitoshi was not an idiot. He wasn't a lot of things, really, but an idiot was among those. He was intelligent, cunning, he knew how to trap people into his web. He wasn't very sociable, yet knew how to strike and maintain a conversation. He was confident yet insecure, a juxtaposition in every form of the word, and my total opposite in that regard. I knew what he wanted. And I knew how he felt. And because of that, I knew that it wasn't his Quirk that he was talking about, but rather his shortcomings that he was so painfully aware of.

One could assume due to the nature of his Quirk, he never learned close combat or did any physical training. Why should he? But this is where the comparisons between us began— Shinso had settled for complacency. I'm sure as soon as he took the entrance exams he realized he wouldn't be able to get accepted into the hero course, and because of that, he settled for the general education course, sealed his own fate before it could even begin to be written for him, because he knew that he couldn't become a hero.

But what he didn't know was that he _could_.

Shinso Hitoshi was most certainly not an idiot.

"You can be as upset as you want, Shinso, I'm not backing down," I said firmly, accentuating my adamance with the crossing of my arms over my chest. "If you want to start using your own strength, then use it. You're stronger than you think you are, and I _know_ that the hero you want to be is the hero you will become."

He pursed his lips.

"I don't want to give a big speech, but the whole point of this festival is to prove that the people we were at the beginning of the school year are different from the people we are now. If we want the pros to think we're worthy of being heroes, we have to believe it ourselves first."

"Then—"

"And if you don't believe in yourself, fine. Because _I'll_ believe in you. I have faith in you, Shinso." I smiled. "Because unlike the rest of the world, I haven't given up on you. And you shouldn't give up on yourself, either."

Shinso exhaled deeply. His eyes flickered in unknown certainty, but as my words permeated in the air it seemed that, for just a moment, he believed me. Smirking slightly, Shinso slumped his shoulders and brushed his fingers through his hair.

"Fine," he finally said. "Who is the last member of this ensemble then, Yaoyorozu?"

"Um…"

Shinso and I turned around to face Midoriya standing with a rather familiar face, one of our classmates, Tokoyami.

"I can provide defense and cover our blind spots," he said without having to be asked anything. Smiling, I nodded.

"Let's do this."

* * *

It was to my surprise that Todoroki had whisked Momo onto his team, along with Iida and, even more shockingly, Bakugo. I couldn't imagine them working together, but I'm sure their desire to win that allowed them to put their own pride to the side just this once. The other teams all gathered in a circle, all of us facing each other, but no matter who we looked at, all eyes eventually landed on us. Midoriya and I would be the main targets of this entire match due to our high point value, but the entire group in general was overall the prey in this arena of predators.

It's exactly this reason that I decided we, under any circumstance, shouldn't try to go on the offensive. As long as we avoided the other groups, it didn't matter if we got any other points, because by default, we were number one. We just had to keep our headbands safe.

Tokoyami was the designated rider, as this gave him the most flexibility in covering our weak spots. I remained at the front, with Midoriya and Shinso at the sides. It was by far a perfect team, but that was the last thing I cared about. This was a functional team.

"Is everyone ready?!"

Everyone suddenly crouched into defensive positions upon hearing Midnight's voice.

"Get set…"

I inhaled deeply, then exhaled. Inhale, exhale. _One, two, three._

"_GO!"_

An explosion erupted in the air as soon as the signal was given. Heads tilting upwards revealed Bakugo in the air, smirking wickedly as he released a series of blasts to propel himself toward us.

"I'll fucking kill you!" he yelled. There was no way to tell who he specifically was talking to, but that didn't matter. I knew Bakugo was smarter than to respond to Shinso if he tried to use his Quirk, and Tokoyami's Dark Shadow was weak to the explosions he naturally let off. Midoriya's power injured him, and Bakugo knew me well enough to move if I attempted to make a wall.

"Tokoyami-san!" I shouted, stomping on the ground and elevating a sheet of titanium. "Use this to block his attack!"

"Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami hailed. The sentient being emerged from his stomach and immediately lifted the sheet over us. A large _thud_ could be heard as Bakugo landed onto it, and I shot out my hand, pressing my plm against the sheet, and a hole of viscous liquid formed that made Bakugo hissed as soon as his hand touched it.

"Let's go," I shouted. We all turned on our heels and began running away with the distraction alive.

"What was that?" Midoriya asked.

"Hot melt adhesive," Shinso answered for me. I smirked slightly. "It melts with heat and almost instantly hardens."

"Thank you for covering us, Yaoyorozu-san," Tokoyami said. I shook my head.

"Don't thank me yet."

I knew at the very least, over time, most of the groups would stop going after us and instead try to accumulate points from other teams. It would be too much of a hassle to try to fight against us, considering the approach we were going for. But that didn't stop everyone.

"Watch out!"

I turned around just in time to see a flurry of glaciers careening toward us. Pressing my foot against the ground again, a wall of asphalt lifted in front of us, stopping the ice just before it reached us, causing us to flare out in all sorts of directions like some sort of frozen flower. I shuddered at the dip in temperature, but just as we took a step forward, Todoroki and Bakugo's group appeared from the side of the wall, while behind us, a quartet of students from 1-B appeared.

"Shit…" I hissed under my breath.

"We're surrounded… and the only other way to go is the border of the arena," Midoriya muttered. I glanced at Momo, but she simply smiled, eyes glimmering.

"Sorry, Yaoyorozu," was all Todoroki said before swiping his arm in front of him, sending a wave of ice toward us.

"Dark Sha—"

"_Smash!"  
_  
It was a moment that felt like time had stood completely still, but all I saw was Midoriya lift his arm and flick his finger. The resulting blast of wind sent us all flying backwards. Dark Shadow wrapped its arms around us to keep us steady while I used the contact I was making with all three of them to slow us down to prevent us was skidding back any further.

"A huge retaliation from Team Yaoyorozu!" Midnight commented in exuberance. I was suddenly out of breath, slightly weak and a bit nauseous from the effort of decelerating the molecules of three separate people, but we were able to stagger back to a standing position.

"That was close—" I moaned.

"And _stupid,"_ Shinso hissed, glaring at Midoriya. He bit and chewed on his lip with a new broken finger that would definitely make it more difficult for us to navigate. This entire thing would take ten minutes to complete, and two have already passed. _Eight more minutes,_ I kept whispering to myself. _Just eight more minutes._

While in my own head space, I took a moment to analyze all eight groups. With some, it was essentially a game of cat and mouse. Some groups chased after others, Quirks of all sorts flying out in an attempt to slow down or stop others in order to get their bands. In the distance, I saw Todoroki and Bakugo's group, with the aforementioned boys occasionally stealing their glances at me, most likely to gauge where we were now.

"We should keep moving," I said, already beginning to walk. "Deku, can you feel my hand?"

He clicked his tongue. "I-I think so—"

"Let me heal you," I said. "Your skin just needs to be making contact with mine. I can handle it from there."

"Your Quirk can achieve something like that, Yaoyorozu-san?" Tokoyami asked. I nodded. Of course, broken bones were far more difficult to treat than simple cuts, but at the very least, I could help try to reduce the swelling and get Midoriya's finger to a more optimal state. His skin was warm against mine. I struggled to feel and gather the molecules in his hands, considering the awkward and limited position of my hands, and a part of me felt like scolding Midoriya for doing something so reckless in the first place, but now was not the time for that.

"I can't," I eventually yielded with a large sigh. I was starting to feel the fatigue creeping within me, and I knew that I couldn't overuse my powers so early in the round.

"It's impressive you can do that at all," Shinso commended. I shook my head.

"It's a work in progress."

"Oi, Princess!"

_Great._

Bakugo stormed toward us, the blond holding a number of headbands in his hand. He was letting off a series of explosions dangerously close to Iida's head, the latter having to crane his neck to the side in order to avoid the heat radiating from his teammate's palm. I clicked my tongue.

"He won't stop chasing after us, will he?" Tokoyami asked. I chuckled dryly.

"With Deku and I on the same team? Absolutely not," I said. I turned my head to see Shinso narrowing his eyes, as if contemplating something.

"You really are rather hot headed, aren't you, Bakugo?" Shinso asked. _Oh._

"What the fuck did you just s—?!"

Whatever anger he was feeling had all but dissipated. Bakugo's eyes turned white and blank, and his arms fell to his sides limply.

"What happened?" Momo asked, eyebrows furrowing.

"Bakugo isn't stupid, but people like him tend to abandon their sense of rationality when angered," Shinso remarked, smirking slightly.

"Dark Shadow, go!" Tokoyami shouted. Dark Shadow extended outwards and snatched some of the headbands from Bakugo's hands, leaving his group with what they started with, giving them no chance to react as we dashed away.

"Good job, Tokoyami-san!" I said.

"Tie random ones around our necks," Shinso advised. "Turn them inside out. It'll confuse people and force them to hesitate as they choose, which will give us enough time to counterattack or run away."

"Got it!" Dark Shadow said.

"That's a great idea, Shinso-san!" Midoriya gasped. I smirked.

"I knew you were good for something."

Shinso's lips twitched at my comment, but I knew this didn't mean we were out of trouble yet. As Dark Shadow went to work with tying the headbands, I took a few seconds to consider our situation. At the very least, Shinso could maintain his hold on Bakugo for the duration of the event and his team would still be able to make it through. We only had six teams to worry about in that case— and six minutes left.

But of course, in this free for all, that moment of peace couldn't be maintained for any longer than that. From behind, we heard what sounded like wild shouting, and we turned around, seeing that group of 1-B kids from before. A boy with blond hair and purple eyes a few shades lighter than Shinso's was the rider, with a girl sporting a head of vines, a strawberry blonde, and a boy with metallic skin carrying him.

"Huh?! What's this?!" the blond shouted, irises filled with a disturbing amount of contempt. "1-A students are running away from everyone?!"

"What the hell?" Shinso murmured.

"Monoma, seriously…" the strawberry blonde sighed. "Shiozaki, go!"

The girl Shiozaki extended her vines toward us at an alarming speed. Dark Shadow reacted just as quickly, however, by grabbing the vines, but in the next moment, I suddenly felt a cold chill crawl up my leg. I twisted my head over my shoulder, biting my lip as Bakugo's group charged at us once more, with frost pooling in Todoroki's palm, and this time with unfaltering confidence. In the distance, several other groups ran at us. Like before, we were surrounded, but unlike that time, we had nowhere else to go.

_Damn it._

Dark Shadow remained in a defensive position beside Tokoyami. Shinso's expression steeled. Midoriya's eyes shifted around, perhaps pondering whether or not he should use another attack. _Are we going to lose? Will this be the end of us? What can we do?_

"Ume!"

_Momo's voice?_

I turned, and my eyes met hers. She grinned.

"I won't lose to you!"

I didn't want this to end here. Not when I had so much I could still show and do. Todoroki held out a pole that Momo had created; Shiozaki extended another series of vines toward us; everyone else prepared their own attacks, all aimed at us. I knew what I had to do. Moving my hands, I crouched down and pressed my hands against the frost the encased our feet. It slowly turned to liquid underneath my fingertips, and slowly, slowly, as all sounds and sensations melted away, I focused solely on the molecules that shifted and moved and changed.

And I felt it.

I slammed my palms flat against the damp ground and the ground surrounding us cracked and contorted before upthrusting, exploding with a magnificent burst that threw everyone off. Some groups fell apart; others had to stop their attacks to maintain their balance. I was immediately hit with a wave of nausea and had to cover my mouth with my hand to keep from throwing up.

"Amazing!" Midnight exclaimed, riling up the crowd even more. "A powerful counterattack that's _shaken up_ the other group!"

I wholly ignored the poor attempt at a pun and rushed to return to the others.

"Are you okay, Ume?" Midoriya asked. "You look sick—"

"I'll be fine," I muttered quickly. My head shifted to where Bakugo's group was. They were among those who had fallen over due to the makeshift earthquake, but to my surprise, Bakugo's eyes were no longer that milky white.

"Did your brainwashing wear off, Shinso-san?" Tokoyami asked.

"No, it doesn't work like that—" Shinso frowned. "He must have fallen to the ground and hit his head."

"A sufficient amount of force or pain can snap someone out of the brainwashing…" Midoriya deduced. In just a matter of a few seconds, Bakugo's group had reformed, with the blond carrying a deeper, much more intense look in his crimson eyes.

"I'll fucking kill you for that," he growled, looking directly at me. I could barely speak, let alone move without feeling like I was going to collapse. I wanted to do something, I _needed_ to, but all the groups were recuperating from my stunt, and we didn't have much time left to escape.

"Shinso," I groaned. "Use… use your Quirk on me—"

"What?" He turned to me. "Why?"

"Just— do it! Take over for me."

Shinso looked more than unhappy with the prospects, whether because he didn't want to use it on me or was unsure of what was going to happen, but he knew more than any of us that this wasn't the time to debate the ethics.

"Fine," he muttered. I smiled.

"Thanks."

* * *

Shinso Hitoshi was not an idiot.

If there was one thing he prided himself in, it was his intelligence— his calculating nature, his ability to understand a situation and act accordingly. It's how he was able to get this far. How he was able to get into Yūei— despite his failure in the practical exam, his scores on the written exam were more than sufficient to land him a place in the general education course. Not what he wanted, particularly, but it was better than nothing.

It's for this reason that he trusted Yaoyorozu. He knew every Quirk had its limits and she had reached hers. It's why she asked him to use his power on her, so that she wouldn't have to worry about the repercussions that came with the overuse of her ability. Up until now, Yaoyorozu had been the primary core of their defense, but with her out of commission like this, it was up to Tokoyami and his Dark Shadow. It was rather pyrrhic.

"Let's go," Shinso said, using the distraction of Yaoyorozu's earlier attack to safely weave and maneuver away from the other groups. Their biggest issues would be Todoroki and Bakugo. The former's ice was difficult to counter on its own, and the latter's mere aggression was an issue in of itself.

"_Pyrrhic victory,"_ Shinso repeated in his head. "_She really is..."_

Not an idiot. Yaoyorozu trusted him. She trusted him, because—

"_If you want to start using your own strength, then use it."_

Because she knew he was stronger than what he thought.

"_If we want the pros to think we're worthy of being heroes, we have to believe it ourselves first."_

She knew that he could become a hero, too.

"_And you shouldn't give up on yourself, either."_

She knew what they both wanted, and if there's one thing Shinso couldn't do, it was let her down. Not when she had so much faith in him. Not when they were so close to the end.

"Two minutes left!" Midnight shouted. Todoroki and Bakugo were the first to advance toward them. With the engines on that boy with the glasses' legs, his mobility was better than the average person. Shinso knew this.

"Be careful of Iida-kun's Recipro Burst!" Midoriya warned. "He hasn't used it this entire time, but now that we're close to the end, I don't doubt he plans on using it soon."

"Bakugo, as well," Tokoyami added, narrowing his eyes as he glanced in the direction of the rowdy blond. "Unfortunately, my Dark Shadow is weak to his light. We won't be able to take his group in an one-on-one battle."

"We won't have to," Shinso said, stealing a glimpse at the still brainwashed Yaoyorozu.

"How so?" Tokoyami asked.

"If that boy uses his speed, there's no way we'd be able to dodge it. However, considering our position, he'll most likely aim for Yaoyorozu or Midoriya. I don't think he is able to shift from left to right if he's going that fast. He knows Midoriya is incapacitated and has probably picked up in Yaoyorozu's state, which makes them both, by default, the easiest targets." Shinso inhaled deeply. "Switch the headbands and put the lowest valued ones on their neck."

"That makes sense," Midoriya said and nodded at Tokoyami. Shinso looked at the advancing groups and bit his lip when he saw Todoroki pull a staff from Momo's arm. He encased it in ice, then slammed the pole onto the ground, a trail of the same element racing toward them.

"Move!" Shinso shouted. And they did. They rushed to the side just before the ice reached them.

"Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami called.

"Iida, now!" Todoroki commanded.

"Right!" Iida said, lowering his knees. "Recipro…"

_Shit._

"_Burst!"_

No one could have prepared them for the force that whisked past them in the literal blink of an eye. The only proof the group had passed at all was the frigid breeze that blew when they passed by. Shinso, Tokoyami, and Midoriya gaped with wide eyes as Iida skidded to a stop at the other side of the arena, while Momo and Denki were left reeling.

"He took them!" Tokoyami vocalized. Todoroki held up one of the several headbands, the number on it making everyone blanch.

_One million._

"How?!" Shinso shouted.

"I realized what strategy you were using," Todoroki said coolly while tying the headbands around his neck. "I was aware you had switched the placement of the headbands."

"You were aware that Iida-san can't switch directions quickly, so without a doubt, you put the lower valued headbands around Ume and Midoriya's necks, the ones who were in his direct line of sight," Momo continued, smiling proudly. "That left Tokoyami-san, and of course, you, Shinso-san. But putting the one million points around Tokoyami-san's neck would be far too obvious. Who else could have it but the unknown in your group?"

"You're both fucking annoying," Bakugo grouched, rolling his eyes at their explanation.

He was outsmarted.

Shinso seldom felt frustrated. He preferred to keep his emotions in check, otherwise, he could end up becoming like that pesky Bakugo. But this was something different. Something _new_. Maybe Yaoyorozu could have read through this, but that wasn't the point of this. The point was that he needed to come up with a new plan—

While Bakugo suddenly launched himself from his group.

"You're fucking dead!" he shouted. He used his explosions to propel himself through the air. Think, _think. _While Bakugo was here, his other teammates were vulnerable. They'd lose in an one-on-one fight, Shinso knew this, but—

_But it didn't have to be that._

"Tokoyami, grab a headband from one of them!" Shinso ordered. "Parry Bakugo's attack!"

"Go, Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami said. That's right. They were defenseless. Iida's Quirk could no longer be used with that final move he used, Todoroki was beginning to feel the consequences of his Quirk, and Momo couldn't create something fast enough to counter them. With their main offense like _this_, the effort Dark Shadow needed to snatch a headband was minimal. In the same instance, Dark Shadow extended one of its arms toward Bakugo, but the blond easily countered it by unleashing a particularly powerful explosion, surrounding the vicinity in a blanket of black smoke.

"This is our chance!" Midoriya shouted. The smoke was the perfect cover. Without a moment of hesitation, the group charged forward. Though he could barely see through the smolder, Shinso held out his hand and yanked a headband from around someone else's neck. He didn't know who it came from or what the value was, but right now, it didn't matter, because as soon as their eyes hit light again and large horn blared.

"Time's up!" Midnight shouted.

"What did you get?!" Midoriya asked. Dark Shadow held up the headband it managed to grab— ninety five points— which wasn't enough to push them into second place.

"I apologize," Tokoyami said in regret. Yaoyorozu suddenly gasped, taking in deep gulps of air as she blinked a few times. She would have fallen to the ground if Tokoyami hadn't grabbed her to help keep her study. She whipped her head around, eyebrows uplifting in concern, then immediately turned to Shinso.

"What did you get?!" she half-shouted. _Ah. _Slightly amused, Shinso chuckled and showed them the headband.

Two hundred and five points.

"We have our finalists, ladies and gentlemen!" Midnight said, pointing at the two groups. "It will be these eight who will advance to the next and final round!"

The roaring cheers from the crowd was nothing compared to the relief Yaoyorozu felt. She couldn't help but begin to shed a few tears at the fact that _they had made it._ And without thinking twice about it, she pivoted on her heel and practically lunged into Shinso's arms, throwing her arms around his neck.

"We did it!" she cheered. "We did it, we did it—!" She paused and shook her head. "_You_ did it."

Shinso, stunned at the sudden gesture, simply nodded a few times before looking away. Embarrassment? Shame? Surprise? He couldn't quite tell, but that quickly pushed itself to the back of his mind.

"We did," he said.

And while Bakugo's group celebrated their victory, it was, of course, Bakugo himself who was not happy. Because he saw what was happening between Shinso and Yaoyorozu. He saw how she practically jumped into his arms— which she _never_ did with him— and the way she looked into his eyes. And Bakugo suddenly felt a twinge in his chest that came with a churning in his stomach.

"What the fuck…?" he muttered.

It was only afterwards that Yaoyorozu Ume, having now come down from her adrenaline high, crouched over to the side and hurled.

* * *

**A/N:**

It's Shinso tiiiiiiime!

First and foremost, thank you all for your lovely reviews last chapter! I was incredibly happy that you all enjoyed it, and I hope you were able to enjoy this one, too. I'm sorry for taking a bit longer than usual to update, but with the semester coming to a close, I'm scrambling to do well so I don't have to repeat any class ;v; College life, you know?

That aside, there will be a _lot_ more Shinso in the future because I have a ton planned for him and Ume. That being said, I absolutely cannot wait for the Internship Arc. I'm really excited to show you guys what I have in mind for that!

I didn't really enjoy writing the cavalry battle, which is part of the reason why I took a bit longer with this chapter. I also apologize for the sudden shift from first to third person, but I thought from a narration stand point, it would be the best way to continue the story. That's all I really have to say, but thank you for reading and supporting this story! If you guys have any theories for what will happen in the future, or any character/relationship analysis, _please_ let me know! I'd love to hear what you guys think!

Thank you so much for reading, and I'll see you all next time!


	11. Unkind

**Disclaimer: **I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**xi. unkind**

—

* * *

We were given an hour of free time before the next event, which would be one-on-one matches. Contenders were given their own rooms to rest for the time being, but I found it impossible to sit still. Thanks to some medicine supplied by Recovery Girl, my stomach ache had subsided, and I was given the go ahead to use my Quirk again for the match ups. During this break, as several festivities were hosted, some people used the opportunity to explore the stadium grounds, taking a moment to indulge in all the food and souvenirs offered and sold.

"I'm so sorry, Ume. I promise Kyoka and Tsuyu that I would get food with them!" Momo whimpered, clapping her hands together in apology. "You can come with us, however!"

A part of me was disappointed by this, but I didn't let it show. Instead, I smiled and shook my head, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"It's fine," I told her. "You should go and have fun with them."

Momo beamed and brushed her hand over mine. "I love you. I'll see you later!"

We waved to each other as she scurried away, but unfortunately, that left me alone. I would have searched for Mina and Kirishima, but I had no idea as to where they were, and Midoriya was still getting his finger treated. In the end, I thought getting something to eat for myself and returning to my room wouldn't be a terrible idea, so I walked forward with that intent, only to stop when a voice called out my name.

"Oi, Princess."

I smiled and turned around.

"Hey, Bakugo."

He approached me in slow, eerily calm steps, hands stuffed deep into his pockets. Bakugo's crimson eyes tapered into a fine glare, and when he finally stood in front of me, he examined me carefully, irises flicking up and down.

"Where's the other one?" he asked. I rolled my eyes.

"She's my _sister_, and she has a name," I huffed. "Anyway, she went to get food with some others."

"So you're alone?"

"I was planning to be, yes." I creased my brows together. "Why?"

Bakugo remained silent as he took a few steps past me, only stopping when we were feet away from each other.

"I'm fucking starving."

_Oh._

With a soft smile forming on my lips, I trailed after him with tantanmen on my mind.

* * *

"I wonder where Shinso is."

I wasn't aware of it until I turned to face Bakugo, but he looked at me with an irate scowl on his face, as if I said something blasphemous to him.

"What?"

"What about that bastard?" he growled.

"Um… nothing? I'm just musing." I diverted my gaze. "After the cavalry battle, I was rushed to the nurse, so I wasn't able to say anything more to him…"

Somehow, I could practically hear Bakugo rolling his eyes. I looked at him again, quickly noticing the way he clenched his jaw and balled his hands into a fist.

"What're you getting so upset about?" I asked.

"Nothing," Bakugo grouched.

"Listen, I—"

I stopped myself, knowing fully that even if there was something bothering Bakugo, there's no way in this reality or another he would tell me. It was times like this that made his pride incredibly pesky to deal with, but I had my own ways of getting through to him.

"Hey, let me buy you some ramen," I said. He turned to me again, raising a brow.

"Why?"

"Consider it my way of saying congratulations for making it to the next round."

Bakugo snorted and quickened his pace. "No fucking way. You're just gonna hold it over my head so I can pay you back or something."

"What? Come on—" I jogged after him and grabbed his wrist, effectively stopping him in his tracks. "Bakugo, seriously. I'm _rich_."

"Fuck off."

"You're the one who said you were hungry." I frowned. "I can't believe you're denying free food."

He looked like he wanted to say something to me, and I was almost certain he was going to, but for one reason or another, he stopped himself. Releasing what sounded like a mixture of a groan and a sigh, Bakugo tilted his head to the sky and slumped his shoulders before eventually yielding. He grabbed my hand, which admittedly caught me off guard, and practically yanked me in the direction of a ramen stand. A part of me was thankful for that, because I had no idea where it was, and I knew he was going to mock me with no mercy over that if I had led the way.

"Two orders of tantanmen, please," I said upon reaching the stand, already fishing out my wallet.

"Two?" Bakugo repeated. I nodded.

"I want one, too."

"You don't like spicy things."

"I'm not sure where you got that information." I smiled and gently nudged his shoulder. "Plus, it's not a bad idea to get involved in the things you like, too."  
Bakugo's scoff was his version of an adequate response. I chose to ignore him, grabbing the food I ordered after paying for it, and after securing the bag in my hands, I pivoted on my heel and began to return to the stadium.

"Is it okay if we go back to our rooms?" I asked, though a part of me wasn't sure why I was even asking for his permission.

"Whatever," Bakugo grunted. For what felt like the millionth time that day, I rolled my eyes.

* * *

"Is it good?"

Bakugo was a surprisingly clean eater. He never rushed, nor did he make a mess with his meals, and kept any noise to a bare minimum. As someone who grew up learning the same mannerisms and thus finding things like slurping and lip smacking to be absolutely infuriating, I was actually rather grateful for his proper eating etiquette. We had ending up returning to my room since it was closer, and although it was Bakugo, I didn't mind the extra company.

"'S fine," he finally said. My lips tugged upwards.

"You can admit when something is good, you know."

"I already _said_ it was good."

I sighed quietly. "Are you ready?"

His answer was delayed due to the time he took to drink the broth. Considering I had barely touched my own food, I was impressed with how quickly he was able to down the entire thing. As discreetly as I could, I set my own bowl of ramen on the table separating us and pushed it closer toward him.

"You're an idiot," Bakugo grumbled as soon as he put his first bowl down and picked up mine. "Don't buy shit if you're gonna waste it."

"I didn't mean to," I muttered. "I'm not very hungry, I guess."

"Don't say some shit like you're on a diet—"

"No." I sighed and shook my head. "I'm nervous, Bakugo. _Really_ nervous."

He furrowed his brows, as if the mere idea of me being apprehensive toward anything was ridiculous. And while it's true that I had become braver, more daring in the face of adversaries, that was always because I knew I had someone who could back me up. The worst part about this third event wasn't the fact I would be fighting, but the fact I would be fighting _alone_. And though I had been training with my Quirk, utilizing it in ways to give me the best advantage in battle, I feared that it wasn't enough. Losing certainly wasn't the worst thing that could have happened, but would the people watching share the same sentiments?

"You'll be fine," Bakugo said. "You wouldn't have made it this far otherwise."

I raked my hand through my strands. "I'm scared," I finally admitted. "Do you think my mom is watching?"

"So what if she is?"

"If she is, then—"

"Does nothing get through that thick fucking skull of yours?"

I flinched at the harsh wording that was spotlighted by the slightly incensed tone. Bakugo stared at me with a maddened gaze that made it so I was unable to respond.

"Didn't I say that you don't need approval from your shitty mom?" he asked. "Why are you still looking for it?"

"I didn't—"

My voice immediately dropped when I realized that any denial of such would just mean I was making an excuse for myself. Bakugo was right. My journey to self improvement was one that didn't have its destination in the eyes of my mother. I _never_ needed her approval, but the truth was—

"It's hard," I muttered. "My whole life has been dedicated to doing something that would get her to acknowledge me. If I don't need her, then what do I do…?"

"God." Bakugo rolled his eyes. "Aren't you into this 'best self' shit because you want to prove to _yourself_ that you're not what she thinks you are?"

"Yes, but…"

"But nothing. Stop trying to find your worth in everyone else. _You're_ the only one you need."

_I'm the only one I need._

I chuckled quietly and leaned forward, resting my elbows against my knees. Bakugo angrily asked what it was I found so funny, but in that moment I was unable to respond; I shook my head and giggled again, because the irony of the entire situation was killing me.

"I just think you've been spending too much time around me," I said, lifting my head. Onyx and crimson met.

"Eh?"

"_You_ were the one who gave _me_ a pep talk," I continued. "Thank you, Bakugo."

He snorted and accusingly pointed his chopsticks at me. "If you lose your match, I'll kill you."

I chuckled.

"I trust that you'll keep your word."

* * *

Gathering in the middle of the stadium with seven of my classmates, one of them being my own sister, was far more stressful than I imagined it being, and I severely underestimated how unprepared I was. The thunderous crowd and Present Mic's enthusiastic trills were nothing compared to the drumming of my heartbeat in my ears. There was no guarantee that my match would be first, and yet I found myself wishing that the hour of free time we were given had lasted a bit longer.

And then—

"It's time to see who will be our first match!"

The large screen that loomed over us all flickered between names and pictures. My heart began pounding even faster; my eyes glued to that artificial light; I kept my fingers crossed and my breath held for what I knew was inevitable.

_Todoroki Shoto_

_versus_

_Yaoyorozu Ume_

The world stopped turning.

My eyes panned over to Todoroki. Silver and turquoise hardly seemed perturbed by the matchup, but my mind was in a frenzy. Todoroki was always the most problematic person in our class in terms of strength; he was unanimously regarded as one of, if not the most powerful student in our class. Even if his Quirk alone wasn't so devastating, he was calm, smart, and rational. He already had all the ingredients to easily win this match, but—

"Hey."

Shinso was the antithesis to my chaotic state of mind. He nudged me with his elbow, and with the faintest trace of a smile on his face, he nodded.

"You'll be fine."

He walked away after that. Momo then came towards me, her fingers locking with mine, and she pressed our foreheads together.

"I believe in you," she whispered. In spite of myself, I smiled. "Do your best."

"I will."

I was expecting and ultimately disappointed by the lack of words of encouragement from Bakugo, but before he left the stage, we made eye contact. It was for only an instant, but it felt so much longer than that, and time resumed as soon as his gaze broke. I took a few deep breaths to calm my racing heart, and I glanced at Todoroki, forcing a smile to spread on my lips.

"Good luck, Todoroki."

He nodded listlessly. "You too, Yaoyorozu."

We stood across from each other. Todoroki kept his fists balled in his pockets while I used the time to crack my knuckles and talk myself down from all this anxiety. This fear, this consternation—

"_Start!"_

A mountain of ice cascaded in my direction as soon as the signal was given. I expected as much. In observing his fighting style over the months we've spent together, it became relatively easy to predict his first course of action during combat— unleashing an overwhelming amount of ice to finish off the match quickly. I dropped to my knees and lifted up a wall of asphalt that managed to stop the ice, but sent a gale of frigid wind my way. I shuddered, but refused to let that stop me.

I threw my arms behind me and sent myself traveling forward on a slab of cement. I raced past Todoroki's ice, brushing my fingers against it as I did so, turning it into a massive wave of water that I sent his way like a tsunami on land. Unfortunately for me, Todoroki was able to freeze the water just as quickly, leaving it in its frozen state.

I leapt off the slab and placed my hands on the wave again, converting it into water once more, only this time, I separated it into two torrents of water that I shot towards him from from the right and the left. Todoroki only ever used his right side to produce his ice, which made him vulnerable, and thus unable to defend.

Or so I thought.

Exhaling deeply, he swung his arm across his chest, creating a semicircular barrier that surrounded him and protected him from my attack. I held my breath, and from the wisps of condensed air that surrounded him, I noticed his gaze flicker to somewhere else before returning to me.

"Wow! Todoroki and Yaoyorozu exchange quick and relentless attacks at one another!" Present Mic commented. Whatever Aizawa-sensei responded with was white noise to me. I was too busy focusing on retaliation, doing anything and everything I could to evade and counter Todoroki's ice. It was a power I had never encountered before; the sheer mastery of his Quirk in tandem with the potency it boasted made it all the more difficult for me to deal with. Converting it into water could only work so many times, which meant my best, and perhaps only choice was to confront him in hand to hand combat.

I had no doubt that Todoroki was adept at unarmed fighting, but if he was anything like me, then the heavy reliance he had on his Quirk meant that he wasn't that much better at close combat. I created a ramp that I ran up on, and Todoroki sent a number of glaciers my way. In a moment of impulsivity, I jumped off the edge and held my hands in front of me as the ice tore through the air.

It couldn't be much different from using it on people. Altering molecular speed was still a tricky feat, but considering how many times I had used it today alone, I was starting to get the hang of it. The ice's speed slowed dramatically, enough so that I could safely slide down the side. I slammed my hand against it and the surface evened out before my very eyes, protecting me from stray icicles that jutted out. Upon reaching the ground, I somersaulted forward and rushed toward Todoroki, who seemed more or less surprised by my stunt, but stomped and sent more of the frozen element toward me.

_Again._

He must have seen through my plan. No, I was absolutely sure he did. As quickly as I could, I pressed my fingertips on the ground and created a column of concrete that shot into the air and split the ice in half, sending it in two different directions.

"Todoroki!" I called, getting to my feet. "Is this all you have to prove to me?"

He narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about, Yaoyorozu?"

His eyes fluttered again. With that observation, I pointed an accusatory finger at him, my brows knitting together.

"This entire match, you've been looking somewhere else," I accused. "But where? And _why?_"

Todoroki, who was usually polite toward me, speaking to me when I did so to him, frowned and responded by sending more ice in my direction. Obviously, I had struck a nerve. Todoroki's thoughts were occupied by something, which led me to believe that he wasn't fighting at his full strength. Though his ice was amazing, I _knew_ he was capable of more. He had to be.

When he shifted his eyes again, I decided to follow his line of sight and I turned my head to the stands. Among the thousands of people who occupied each seat, the Pro Heroes who sat with their arms folded proudly across their chests as they judged us, there was one who stood out the most to me. How could he not? Flames danced wildly over his shoulders and face, his figure and presence alone cold and chilling despite the element he commanded. His eyes weren't angry, no, that would be inaccurate. They were something else. Turquoise and disparaging and so similar, yet _so _unlike the boy standing before me.

"Endeavor," I breathed, hardly aware I had said anything at all. Todoroki's muscles tensed at the utterance of his name, his _father's _name. And it didn't take me very long to put two and two together.

_Todoroki only ever used his right side to produce his ice._

"Your left side," I muttered. "Is fire."

Though he tried to keep his expression calm, it was easy to tell that anything relating to fire— and thus, by extension, Endeavor— was a sensitive topic. The burn mark. His refusal to fight using his left. The constant glares he kept sending that man's way, it was all making sense because it was all so real to me, as if for a moment I could see myself on the other side of this arena.

_So it's like that, huh?_

The subtle trembling and patches of rime that enveloped his right side, to me, said something more than the fact he was reaching his limit. It said that he absolutely refused to use his fire, even when he was unable to fight, even when something like heat could offset the consequences that came with overusing his ice.

"Why won't you use it?" I asked. "Your left side— this match can be so much easier if you use it, Todoroki."

"Don't get involved in something that isn't your business, Yaoyorozu," Todoroki hissed.

"As far as I'm concerned, this _is_ my business," I retorted, readying myself for another strike. "Because you're my opponent, and right now, this match is getting nowhere. You keep coming at me with the same attacks as if that'll do anything. Don't you see what my Quirk is?"

"_Enough,"_ Todoroki spat. More glaciers were sent my way, but at a significantly slower speed, as if I was affecting them in any way. The frost covering Todoroki's body expanded and he exhaled deeply, his eyes carefully tracking my movement as I dove to the left.

"This—" I frowned. "This can't be the person Momo thinks so highly of."

His brow twitched.

"What?" he muttered. There was disbelief in his voice.

"Maybe you don't realize it, Todoroki, but Momo thinks you're amazing," I said. "She talks about you all the time because you're the personification of what she thinks a great hero is."

"Why are you bringing her into this?"

"Because she _knows,_ Todoroki!" I took in a deep breath. "She knows better than anyone, especially yourself, that your flames—"

* * *

"They're beautiful."

It was a mild evening when Momo and I sat on the steps leading to our backyard, a large space featuring a koi pond, a cobblestone path, and enough land to build a small farm. Lantern towers lit the winding paths with a small flame that bathed the entire area in a soft orange glow while the navy blue night sky was like a blanket above us. We sat in silence until Momo said those words.

"What are?" I asked, turning to her.

"The lanterns," she responded, her eyes dazed, like she was caught in some sort of trance. "They… remind me of Todoroki-kun."

I smirked slightly at the honorific. "How so?"

"He told me something about himself the other day," she admitted. "Something dear to him. It isn't very much my place to say, but I feel like I know him so much better now."

I chuckled. "Well, you _do_ spend a lot of time around him."

"Is that bad?" Momo met my gaze. "Do you think he finds me annoying?"

"I don't know him as well as you do, but I don't think Todoroki is someone who will put effort into spending time with someone if he truly doesn't want to be around them."

Momo's lips curled up and her cheeks became tinted in pink.

"When I first met him, I was shallow enough to only consider the fact he was handsome," she started, running her thumb over her knuckles. "But the more I got to know him, the more I realized that my adoration of him is so much deeper than just that…"

"Do you like him, Momo?" I leaned closer to her. "Do you have a crush on Todoroki?"

She looked back at the incandescent lanterns, the flames reflecting tenderly in her eyes.

"Yes."

Momo truly had too much love to give, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Because some people needed extra love. I knew she was attracted to him in some capacity, but the fact she admitted it here— openly, without hesitation— that was a big deal for her.

"He may seem cold and distant, but I think a part of him is… scared. He didn't grow up in a happy home, so he only ever knows that, and yet…" Momo took a deep breath, inhaling the thoughts she had of him, exhaling the words she spoke. "Yet, he cares so much. He may not express it, but he truly does. He wants to be a hero, he wants to help people, he wants to show that he can do anything because he says he can. He truly is phenomenal. And you know, Ume, sometimes I'm unaware of it, but there are moments where we're close together, and I look into his eyes, and I think…"

She smiled.

"'_Wow_. He's so warm'."

Todoroki wasn't someone who had many people he could call his friend. Whether or not it was a conscious decision, it was a fact that perhaps he had come to terms with over time, maybe because he never put in the effort to get to know others, or others simply didn't care to know him. I don't know what it was. But Todoroki was something to Momo, something dear to her in a way that even I wasn't, and because of that, I wanted him to show me that he was exactly what Momo said he was.

"... She said that…?" Todoroki asked, eyes widening slightly. I nodded and pressed my fingers against the ground.

"She did," I said, sending a series of spikes protruding from the ground toward him. Todoroki froze them, but not without stumbling back from the recoil of both attacks impacting. "Because she sees something more in you, Todoroki. Whatever you think your flames are, she knows they aren't."

"She—"

"Is _so_ loving. And she deserves _everything_ this world has to offer. But you, Todoroki—"

I turned his ice into water.

"She said you were phenomenal."

He was pushed back by the spate, creating ice behind him to prevent from being knocked out of the arena's boundaries.

"I swore that I wouldn't use that damned man's power," Todoroki rasped. "I'll win with my right side only."

"You call this winning?!" I suddenly shouted. "You're half assing this match because of your pride—"

"This isn't about pride, Yaoyorozu."

"Then what is it?" I furrowed my eyebrows. "You want him to look at you? Is that what it is?"

Todoroki's breath hitched. His eyes slowly wandered back to the stand, but I rushed forward and grabbed his collar, slamming our foreheads together.

"Don't!" I yelled. "Don't you _dare_ look at him again! Look at _me,_ Todoroki, _I'm _your opponent!"

He shoved me away as quickly as he could. I staggered backwards and brushed my hand over my forehead, but the adrenaline pumping through my veins allowed me to ignore the dull throb between my eyes.

"At least look at me like I'm worthy of fighting you!" I continued. "Look at me and say that I'm someone you can use your full power against!"

"Why do you care so much?" Todoroki asked. He leaned against one of the slabs of ice he created earlier, his body seizing as trembles prevented him from moving. "Why are you…?"

"Because I _get_ it, Todoroki. Because I know what it's like."

I clenched my fists.

"You really think you're the only one who's been hurt by the people who are supposed to love you?!"

_I loathed cherry red._

"You think you're the only one who's had to fight just to live?!"

_I wanted to give up._

"Look at all the people around you, Todoroki!"

_But I—_

"You think you have to go through this alone?!"

_I won't._

Todoroki's breaths were shallow, yet labored. He quivered and exhaled and then tensed again before finally relaxing. And for the first time, he lifted his head, and his lips twitched upward.

"I want to be a hero, Yaoyorozu," he breathed out. Slowly, I nodded.

"I do too, Todoroki."

Momo said that maybe he was scared, and in that moment I almost laughed it off, but I knew that she saw right through him because Todoroki was more like me than either of us could have imagined. Maybe that's why she connected so well with him. As I thought about it, with frost cascading towards me and concrete rushing away, I realized that in the reflection of his eyes I also saw myself. I saw someone who was going through the motions, so sure but still so lost, because my life had only been shaped by the one thing I thought I knew. Loneliness.

But coming here, I was shown that I didn't have to feel so isolated, and I didn't have to live everyday by myself. Because I had people who cared about me, and whether or not Todoroki was aware of it, he did, too. And that in of itself was more than enough motivation to make me want to win this. I cared as much as they did. I knew he did as well.

So when I saw that he still kept to his ice, with each attack making him weaker and slower, I couldn't help but get upset. Because I _knew_ that Todoroki cared too much to go down this easily. I knew that he wasn't as alone as he thought he was. I charged at him with a fist reared back and the fact it connected with his jaw made me even angrier.

"Get up!" I shouted. "You're better than this, Todoroki!"

_You're stronger._

"The fact you're here already proves that you're better than _him!_ I _know_ you are, Todoroki, because you—!"

That woman's face suddenly appeared behind my eyelids again, and then her name.

"You're so warm!"

It was Haruna.

I felt the heat before anything else. It was subdued, inconspicuous, before it suddenly exploded and singed the tips of my hair. I threw up a wall to protect myself from the sudden rise in temperature, but I saw the orange and red glow in front of it. I peeled off a slab and had to shield my eyes with my hands, but there Todoroki was, standing before me, his entire left side shining brilliantly with the intensity of a thousand suns. Running my tongue over my chapped lips, I smiled.

"You were right, Momo."

He threw a fist forward.

_They really are beautiful._

I just barely dodged the stream of fire that left his arm. The heat was almost too much to handle— sweat ran down my brow and my skin was starting to feel dry— but I didn't care. Because Todoroki was here before me, using his flames, the part of his power he said he'd never use. And now—

_The real battle can begin._

The rush of nausea that suddenly afflicted me was barely registered as I created a massive wave of concrete. The ground crumbled and cracked and heaved toward the sky, but Todoroki froze it all, leaving a tremendous wall of ice that I had every intention on conquering. I slammed my hands against it and felt an unfamiliar strain in my head, but that didn't matter either. Droplets of water fell onto my skin and tresses, trickled between my eyelashes, but I sent what I could control toward him as a mighty tide.

Todoroki froze it again, and with his flames, melted it just as quickly, creating a blast of air that would have ripped me apart if I didn't bury my hands into the ground. I was exhausted, queasy, and my head was throbbing, but that didn't matter. Nor did the roars from the crowd, or the constant flashes of Haruna or even Endeavor himself. All that mattered was this moment I was sharing with Todoroki, this instance where I had the luxury of seeing his flames, his full power, his resolve.

And, for the first time, his smile.

"Yaoyorozu," he started. Ice gathered at his foot, while I slammed my hands on the ground, feeling the molecules in the space between us increasing more and more in speed. They clashed and bounced against each other, the kinetic energy intensifying until cracks appeared in the ground, glowing with a bright energy.

_You don't have to be alone anymore._

"I owe the both of you my thanks."

_I'll be here tomorrow, too._

Before everything faded to black, the ground exploded underneath me, colliding with a piercing, yet bittersweet wind.

* * *

I thought I was dying.

My muscles were sore beyond belief, and I felt like lead had infiltrated my veins. I could barely lift my head up, which made it even more difficult to recognize who was at the door when I heard it open. The white of the infirmary was unfamiliar to me, but I knew I was here at all because of how terrible I felt. If someone ran a truck over my skull, I'm sure that would've hurt less than the pounding throb that wreaked havoc on my brain.

"Ume?"

I was able to shift my eyes at the sound of Momo's voice, and somehow muster a smile. She approached my bed in hurried steps, and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me in for a hug that would've suffocated me if I didn't pat on her back to indicate otherwise.

"I'm sorry, I—"

I was shocked by the tears that gathered in the corners of her eyes and subsequently spilled over and down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, I... I'm _so_ happy you're okay! I thought something terrible happened, there was this massive explosion and smoke, and then you were out of bounds and not moving and Ume, I—"

She took in a deep breath.

"I'm so proud of you."

Talking was impossible now, so instead I smiled again and gave her another hug. Momo sat on the edge of my bed to return it, her fingers raking through my hair as she stroked it as a gesture of comfort. I felt fine, though— physically, not so much— but overall, I was okay. I was… satisfied.

The doors opened again and more bodies scurried inside. Mina, Kirishima, Midoriya, Shinso, and unsurprisingly or not, Bakugo, all gathered around my bed in a matter of a few seconds.

"Umerozu, that was _amazing!_" Mina gasped. "I mean, really, and the fact you got Todoroki to use his flames—!"

"I didn't know you could fight like that!" Midoriya added, his eyes quite literally sparkling. "The entire match was so intense!"

"You were so manly at the end!" Kirishima praised. "I have _so _much more respect for you!"

Even Shinso grinned. "You weren't bad out there, Yaoyorozu."

I was overwhelmed with happiness that they had all bothered enough to come see me, but in the midst of this mini celebration, there was one inquiry that forced itself to the front of my head, forcing me to ask the one question that I needed to know more than anything.

"Who won?"

The sudden silence coupled with their fallen expressions was all I needed to know. Chuckling, I fell back against my pillow and sighed.

"It's fine," I muttered, still unable to speak very comfortably. "I'm in too much pain to fight again, anyway." I furrowed my brows. "Is Todoroki okay?"

"He's fine. He's resting in another room," Momo answered, smiling slightly. I let out a small breath of relief.

"Good," I said. "Are your matches coming up soon?"

Shinso shrugged his shoulders.

"After they rebuild the stage, mine is up next," he explained.

"Oh? Who are you going up against?"

He clicked his tongue and gestured lamely to Midoriya, who froze and then laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

"... Oh," was all I responded with. "Well, good luck to the both of you."

"Will you watch it?" Shinso asked. I grinned.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Throughout this entire conversation, the one person I was worried about most was Bakugo. He remained quiet, arms folded on his chest as he kept his back pressed against the wall, away from everyone else. I'm not sure if he was aware that I noticed the quick glances he gave me every now and again, but they were there, and I knew he was like this because there was something he was hiding. He wanted to speak to me, alone.

"We'll be heading back to the stands now," Momo said after a while longer, somehow knowing that I wanted the privacy, or maybe this being a result of perfect timing. "Feel better, Ume."

I smiled and gave her a quick hug. "I will."

Embraces were shared with everyone else except Shinso, and one by one, they all exited the room until only Bakugo and I remained. He broke the silence with a deep sigh and trudged over to my bed.

"What's wrong?" I asked. He snorted.

"You look like shit."

I frowned slightly, holding back the urge to roll my eyes if _this_ was all he wanted to say to me.

"Thank you," I responded. He took a step closer to my bed.

"You lost," he said. I nodded slowly.

"Yeah," I muttered. "I don't regret it, though."

Bakugo raised a brow, which I took as a sign to continue.

"This entire time, Todoroki refused to use his fire. I don't know if it was out of fear or spite or something else entirely, but…"

He scowled slightly. "Don't try to be his hero."

"I'm _not_," I argued, slightly irritated at the accusation. "Todoroki is strong enough on his own. I just think that he reminded me of myself."

"With your Quirk?"

"Yeah."

Todoroki's feelings to his fire was an almost exact mirroring of how I felt about my disintegration. The causation was different but the end product— it was there. It took almost ten years for me to realize that using my Quirk didn't make me a bad person, and even know, a minuscule part of me is scared of what I could do with it. But I no longer wanted that to dictate me or my life.

That's why I didn't mind the loss. I was a bit frustrated, sure, but I was in no way miffed by it. Todoroki deserved the win, if only because he realized that he could be a hero with a power he could make his own. Being in the top eight was satisfying enough on its own. I didn't consider it me settling for average— it was learning to accept my limits, understand that what I did was enough, and because of that, it was okay.

"Are you going back to the stands?" I asked. Bakugo slumped his shoulders.

"I guess," he muttered. "I'll have to kill you for losing, though."

I waved him off with a simple flick of my wrist, when I suddenly heard a loud vibration beside me. On one of the cabinets by my bed, I saw that my phone's screen was flashing— I assume Momo or someone else brought it for me after the match— and when I picked it up, I instantly felt anxiety and anger and uncertainty explode within me all at once.

It was my mother.

I don't know why she was calling me, but as the phone quavered in my hand I heavily debated whether or not to pick it up. If I did, what would she say? Would she yell at me? Say something that would ruin my good mood? Why else would she be calling me?

"Don't answer it," Bakugo said. I turned to him.

"But what if—"

"Don't."

I pursed my lips. _I'm sorry, but I have to know._

"Hello?"

I bit my lip, waiting for a response. There was silence at first. And then, finally, a voice.

"Ume…?"

I held my breath. My mother's voice was soft, quiet, eerily calm, but the fact she actually said my name was the most disconcerting part of this.

"Mom?" I muttered, my skin crawling at the fact I referred to her as such. "Is something wrong? Why did you call me?"

There was silence again before I heard a few sniffles from her end. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, leaning forward slightly. Nothing about this felt right.

"What's wrong? Are you drunk?" I hardly registered the look Bakugo gave me with that question. "Mom?"

"I'm sorry, Ume," she said. Her voice was nothing more than a weak whisper. "I'm sorry, I'm _so_ sorry."

"What— what are you apologizing for?"

"You don't need me. I should go, I have to go, _I need to die_—"

I immediately jumped to my feet. "Mom, _no_. Stop saying that. Are you okay? Is someone with you?"

"My stomach hurts, Ume."

I felt like an anvil was tied to my heart and it was dragged down to the very bottom of my stomach. Because I've been here before. I've experienced this _exact_ thing, and when I did the world fell apart before my very eyes. The ceiling expanded and then contracted before expanding again, the room was getting larger and smaller, the linens between my fingers crumbled into dust. _This can't be happening._

"Mom, I'm calling the police," I quickly said, bursting out of the room. "I'm going to get Momo and Saiko. Where are the maids? Are they with you? And dad?"

"Don't come, Ume," she mumbled. "You're better off without me."

"Stop— shut up! I'm coming home _right_ now. Just stay put."

I ignored the grabbing of my arm, the voice that was repeatedly telling me to calm down. I hurried as quickly as I could to the stands, but the hallways were spanning forever and I felt like my footsteps were getting me nowhere.

"Mom, talk to me," I said. "Say something."

She started crying. It wasn't what I expected, but it was proof that she was still here. Everything around me was muffled, all sensations dimmed, overridden by the alarms wailing in my head, the faint static that surfaced underneath my skin. _Momo, I need Momo._

Time split in half. I didn't know where I was, but I knew I was in someone's arms, and there were tears running down my face. I was _here_, but not at the same time. I was a paradox of emotions, an anagram of everything I feared, now coming to life. I thought I was falling apart, shattering into millions of tiny pieces.

"I-I don't know what's happening," I choked out while the lump between my tongue became bigger. "Mom is— she's, I don't know, she did something, we have to help her, _please_—"

"Ume, you have to calm down." I couldn't recognize the voice. "It's okay. We called the police."

"How can you be so calm?!" I screamed. Who I was screaming at, I didn't know, but _someone_ was witnessing my fury. "Mom is— please, just _please_ don't let her die."

Whatever was holding me, I gripped it, dug my fingernails into it because I couldn't bear to let anything go. Because the world's axis tipped in a matter of a few seconds. Because I was reliving the parts of life I thought I had long since moved past. I had forgotten what pain was like, but it was here again, and it was far too real.

I choked out my mother's name once more before realizing that she wasn't here with me, and she wouldn't be coming home today. And as everything fell to darkness, I realized I wouldn't be, either.

* * *

I was in some kind of room.

I wasn't sure what to make of it at first, but it slowly dawned on me that I was in the infirmary again. It wasn't the one at the stadium, though; the sun was setting and the sheets were astonishingly soft, but I remembered what happened hours before— _days, weeks maybe?— _and my heart burst again.

"Ume?"

I turned my head and saw Saiko. She immediately ran up to me and scooped me into her arms, holding me tightly, and I automatically began to assume the worst.

"Where's mom?" I asked. "Where's Momo? Where is— _here?_"

"The school," she answered, placing a hand on my head. "You passed out and were taken here." Her lips lifted. "Momo is at my house. And your mother…"

They fell in the same instant.

"She's in the hospital."

"No, _no_." _This can't be real._ "Please tell me—"

"She's okay. She stopped breathing for a bit but she's fine." Saiko sighed. "They pumped her stomach and the doctors don't think there's any brain damage, so for the time being, she's safe."

"This is my fault," I breathed out without realizing what those words even meant. "This is all my fault."

"Ume—"

"She said she needed to die, that I didn't need her, I—"

"Ume, stop." Saiko grabbed my hand. "No, this _isn't_ your fault. Your mother has been sick for a long time, and I take full responsibility for not doing anything about it."

"Why…?" The tears began to fall again. "Why did this happen _now_?"

My aunt paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and looked deeply into my eyes.

"She's sad, Ume."

I don't know why that spoke to me so much. I related to that single sentence more than I have to anything else in my life, because that single word— _sad_— dominated my life for as long as I could remember. Had I never been aware of it all, behind the walls she put up around herself, how she pushed everyone away, through the amber shade of the whiskey she always drank? I should've seen it.

I should've known.

* * *

**A/N:**

I return with another update! So in the last chapter, a _lot_ of people expressed the fact they actually like Shinso and Ume _better_ than Bakugo and Ume. So, for my ShinUme shippers, you'll be well fed in the next few chapters. Sorry, BakuUme (BakUme?) shippers, but this will be all you get for now ;^) Admittedly, I really do like ShinUme (I actually ship them as much as I do BakuUme), but alas, the end game _is_ Bakugo, so we'll have to settle.

I knew from the start that Ume would fulfill Midoriya's role in getting Todoroki to use his flames. They haven't interacted much throughout the duration of the story, and if there's one thing I regret, it's that I was unable to show them more, as well as his and Momo's interactions. But, considering this is entirely through Ume's point of view, it would have been difficult regardless. While writing this, I realized that Todoroki and Ume actually have a lot more in common than I initially realized, which is what made their fight all the more impactful for the both of them.

I also regret not showing Shinso's fight with Deku, or Momo's fight, but that will be addressed in the next chapter. This new situation that has arisen will be _very_ important for both Ume and Momo, as individuals and as sisters.

With the close of the Sports Festival, I'd like to mention that yes, I purposefully deviated from canon events and skipped the top 16 fights. I didn't see much point in this because Ume and Todoroki were going to fight regardless, and I also really wanted to get to the internship arc without adding in what I would consider filler if I included the top 42, then the top 16. I hope that makes sense.

Thank you all so much for your immense support. A part of me feels like I'm undeserving of it; I never intended for this story to actually get anywhere, but here I am, eleven chapters in, with _202_ favorites, _282 _follows, _78_ reviews, and over _13.3k _views. That's unreal to me. I once confided in someone that if I could ever make a story that people could enjoy reading, that could touch hearts and make others feel something, I would be happy. And somehow, I did. So thank you, thank you for supporting me and for helping me achieve my dream, for sticking with Ume and I and for allowing me to create something I say I can be proud of. Thank you so much.

And I'll see you next time.


	12. Petal Falls

**Disclaimer: **I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**xii. petal falls**

—

* * *

"She's okay."

Momo and I were still reeling. The day before passed by like a blur that we hardly caught with the blink of an eye, even though the events itself made it seem like it would never end. Everything was okay one moment, and the next they weren't. I can barely recall the paresthesia that paraded against my skin, the muffled voices that were so clear, yet so incredibly distant. I only remember feeling triumphant and then, suddenly, the world fell apart and exploded and I was trapped—

Alone.

My mother's attempt at her own life did not go unnoticed, not like the first time, because people were far more perceptive than we thought or hoped. And with my mother being who she is, privacy wasn't something that could be asked for. Not for long, at least. I struggled to decide if the worst part about all this was that she couldn't rest without a crowd of paparazzi and police officers gathering outside the hospital entrance, or the fact we couldn't see her because of said crowd. I was willing to skip school if it meant I could hold her hand, but Saiko wasn't allowing me. The only way we knew she was okay was through a doctor on the phone.

I threw up as soon as I awoke.

The nausea that came with remembering what happened and processing that it actually _did_ happen was more than enough to send my body into a frenzy. I was trying to make sense of everything while smacking my dry lips and attempting to blink through my gyrating vision, but the bathroom light above was brighter than the sun and the sensations on my skin were dull at best—

_I must be dying._

"There, there," Saiko's voice cooed. I felt her fingers rake through my hair, pushing individual strands out of my face as I lifted my head, which in this moment felt like a thousand pounds. Despite my aunt's tender touch, my skin was still cold and I felt astonishingly empty.

"Where…?" I let out a small groan. "Where's Momo…?"

"She left already." Saiko furrowed her brows. "Are you okay, Ume? Can you stand?"

_Barely,_ I wanted to tell her. But I couldn't speak, not when breathing was so difficult, not when knowing that I was still alive made me wish I wasn't.

"Maybe you shouldn't go to school today, after all…"

I firmly shook my head. I knew that was out of the question. It wasn't a matter of if I wanted to stay home or not, but if Momo was at school, I had to be with her. There was no doubt about it.

"'M fine…" I managed to spit out as I rose clumsily to my feet, managing to secure my hands around the corner of the sink. I felt like I was dying. Maybe I was. I could no longer tell the difference between what was real and what was being conjured in my head.

"If you're absolutely certain…" Saiko interrupted herself with a sigh. "Let's go then."

* * *

The car ride was far more miserable than I could have imagined. Saiko and I remained in silence, not saying a single word and perhaps unsure if we wanted to say anything at all. I'm sure Saiko had her own feelings relating to what happened, but I didn't know what to ask, if I should even ask, acknowledge the one thing both of us were struggling to still accept.

"You did good, Ume."

I turned to Saiko after she uttered those words to me. I knew she was aware I was looking at her, but she kept her eyes on the road ahead. The quietude that would have devoured us was prevented from doing so by the sound of the light tapping of rain on the windshield.

"Yeah," I muttered softly. "Thanks."

She chuckled. "My nieces are growing up so fast. You guys are turning sixteen in, what— three months?"

I nodded. Has it already been almost three months since school started? It felt like it's been longer.

"I wish I had been there for you more when you were growing up."

"Well, you're here now. That's what matters."

"I suppose," Saiko said, her lips lifting.

"You've helped Momo and I a lot," I told her. "I'm glad that you're here for us."

Saiko's smile widened. I glanced over at her again and noticed the ring that sat on her finger. It was beautiful and intricate, with a diamond sitting proudly in the middle, gleaming even with the gloomy weather outside.

"Who are you married to, aunt Saiko?" I asked, furrowing my brows as curiosity gnawed at me. Her gaze pinned on me for a minute before returning to the road, and she laughed loudly. At the question I asked or the answer she knew, I wasn't sure, but it made me slightly more confused.

"That's a secret, you know," she teased. I pouted.

"But I'm your niece," I reminded, hoping to appeal to her emotionally in some way. "Shouldn't I know?"

"Not even your mother knows," Saiko chuckled. "I didn't take you for the romantic, Ume."

"I-I'm not!"

_Or maybe I am._ Mina has been rubbing off on me more than I realized. Saiko smirked in an impish manner and tapped her fingers against the steering wheel.

"You know him—"

"Is it Hawks?"

"_Definitely_ not Hawks." Saiko seemed to shudder at the mere thought. "He is… he's _everything_ I'm not. He's kind and sweet and _so_ selfless it almost hurts. Everything he does is for the betterment of people. And he can certainly be a huge idiot, _but—_"

She sighed longingly and had the same look in her eyes as when Momo spoke about Todoroki. There was such sincerity behind her words, such genuine love when she talked about him. Whoever it was, whatever they had— it was pure. And for some reason, that was all I needed to know.

"But I love him more than anything."

And I sometimes wondered if that would be me one day. To love or be loved, to talk about someone like that, or to have someone talk about me. It certainly sounded nice in theory, but I had never thought of myself as someone a person would want to spend their days with. But, I _did_ have the belief that there was someone for everyone.

_Maybe my someone is out there, too._

* * *

Whatever good mood I had due to my conversation with Saiko completely fell apart when I entered the classroom. Several gazes pinned onto me while the rest latched onto Momo, who leaned over her desk, face hidden in her hands. The ringing of the bell hardly registered in my ears, and not even the look Aizawa-sensei sent my way was enough to snap me out of my trance. The _you're late_ he would have usually muttered remained unsaid. I'm sure he knew as much as anyone else what was happening now.

My sitting down was almost immediately followed with a deadpanned _I have an announcement to make_, but there was a severe lack of eagerness and enthusiasm that often accompanied such a message. I hated the fact that everyone else knew. It made me feel like Momo and I couldn't mourn in peace without everyone coming up to us, asking the same questions despite knowing the answer. It felt fraudulent.

It wasn't until the door slid open that we all paid a semblance of attention. It was the sight of purple hair and amethyst eyes, shoulders slightly slouched and leaned back, that typical grin on his face that made my lips twitch. Aizawa-sensei nodded at him, and he turned to face all of us.

"My name is Shinso Hitoshi," he introduced, dipping his head. "Thank you for having me."

"Shinso?" I breathed out. His eyes fluttered toward me and his grin melted into something far more tender. He was directed to his seat, which was behind mine, to my diagonal, beside Midoriya.

"You missed my fight," was what he responded with, dropping his bag to his feet. I was suddenly slammed with the memory of what I said to him— _I wouldn't miss it for the world_— and the guilt that piled on top of everything else was enough to make me feel like I was going to explode. I didn't say anything to him because I didn't know what to say, and everything was suddenly too loud, too bright, too overwhelming. Stars flashing, colors blending, the world suddenly felt so much bigger and scarier—

_I just want to go home._

* * *

They always said she was sick.

When I first heard about it, I was too young to understand what yellow pill bottles and _have you taken your medication yet, ma'am?_ meant. I knew it wasn't anything good, but that was the extent of my understanding. I brushed off my mother spending days at a time in her bed as her simply being tired due to photo shoots and interviews and all the things actresses did. I didn't understand why she loved that amber liquid that smelled so horribly, or why she always seemed to be so upset, or why she never gave Momo and I a sliver of affection.

The first time my mother attempted to take her own life, my father discouraged me from seeing her.

"You're too young," he told me. Originally, I had thought of this being an excuse for him to not take me to her because he hated her or didn't want the negative attention. I was angry and bitter and I eventually convinced Miss Lila to take me. In spite of everything, she was still my mother. I _had_ to see her. It wasn't until I stepped into her hospital room that I realized what he meant. He wasn't looking down on me or her, nor was he trying to _discourage _me so much as he was trying to _warn_ me.

"_If I can't handle it, neither can you."_

I was wrong.

It's hard being human. Learning this the hard way is probably what made it even more difficult to accept. Ageing in of itself isn't so bad; children have innocence; adolescents have optimism; adults have wisdom. But all of that can only help so much once the heart comes into play.

Maybe I was just weak. The shield surrounding my heart was a bit thinner than most. That could attribute to the reason why I cried so easily, felt so deeply. I was starting to think my mother was the same. She had passed on to us more than just her looks, but rather than despise or hate her for it, I decided to use it as something to understand her better. I wasn't ready to forgive how she treated Momo and I, but I knew I couldn't ignore the sympathy I felt when I really began to think about it. _She's sick and hurting and doesn't know what to do about it._

Being happy shouldn't be this hard.

I kept this thought between several others as the day dragged on. It seemed keeping my head down was the only thing I could do, because I knew that if I even looked into someone's eyes I would burst into tears. I felt like a coward.

The bell ringing for lunch was an indicator that time wasn't standing still like I had initially thought. The class was uncharacteristically quiet. Maybe it was the rain. Or the news they undoubtedly heard. I couldn't tell. Momo rushed out of the room and I chased after her, but I was stopped by a warm hand grabbing my wrist. I immediately thought it was Bakugo, so my surprise wasn't completely unwarranted when I turned around and saw it was Shinso.

"Let her go," he said. I furrowed my brows.

"What?"

"Let her go, I said."

I was slightly taken aback and shook my head. "That's my _sister_. There's no way I'm leaving her alone—"

"Stop for a moment and consider that maybe she _wants_ to be alone," Shinso said.

"That's—"

Ridiculous. It had to be. But Shinso looked at me with a knowing, almost judgmental gaze, as if he knew the one thing I was having trouble admitting myself. He knew the truth and I was trying to tiptoe around it because I didn't want to acknowledge the reality of my own selfishness.

Whenever Momo was sad, I was always the first to rush to her side. I always thought I always had to be there for her because no one else would, at least, not like me. Because I was her sister— her twin sister, nonetheless— and like any doting twin, I had to be attentive to her feelings and comfort her when she needed it because if I didn't, _who possibly would?_ I almost laughed at my own egomania.

I needed _her_ more than she needed _me_. I always clung to her because while she was surrounded by people who loved and praised her, I had no one except for her, and I used her as a reason to feel better about myself. I was so quick to rush by her side because I, under no circumstance, could not afford to be alone. The way we needed each other wasn't one and the same. Momo needed a sister. And I needed a validation.

"Wow," I muttered. I stepped back and leaned my back against the wall. "I really am a terrible person, aren't I?"

I slid down until I was sitting on the floor. And to my surprise, Shinso sat beside me. He brought his knees to his chest and rested his arms on them.

"No," he said. "You're not."

"Stop trying to make me feel better, Shinso."

"I'm telling you the truth."

I frowned slightly. "I'm sorry for missing your fight."

"It's fine. I lost."

"But it got you into the hero course." I leaned forward slightly to get a better look at him. "Isn't that what you wanted?"

Shinso chuckled. "It'll take a bit of getting used to."

"I'm proud of you."

"Are you my mother?"

"Shut up." I rolled my eyes and nudged him with my elbow. "You did your best, and now it paid off."

"Mm," he sounded. "My mom wouldn't stop screaming when I told her the news. She knew this has been my dream since before my Quirk even manifested."

"I guess today isn't so horrible, then," I mused as I turned my head to look out the window perpendicular to us. The rain was relentless. It was accompanied by thunder and lightning that occasionally rumbled behind the gray clouds. It was as if the universe had every intent on making this day as terrible as possible—

But Shinso was sitting here beside me. And whether or not the universe was aware of it, that in of itself automatically made this day a bit more bearable.

"Are you going to visit her?" Shinso finally asked. I sighed quietly.

"Yes," I said. My voice lacked the same confidence my actual answer had. Shinso bobbed his head.

"Were you aware of why she…" He stopped himself and pursed his lips. "Do you have any idea why…?"

The hard part about this was that I _didn't_ know. It all happened so suddenly, and by the time I processed it happened at all, I was left picking up the pieces of my broken self. I could only assume, but there were so many factors and variables and unknowns, I didn't know where to even start.

"I don't know," I hesitantly admitted. "I guess… because being human is hard. And she knew that."

Maybe it come off as a certain way to Shinso, having no idea why my mother would do this. Did that make me the negligent daughter who brushed off her mother's concerns?

"It doesn't have to be."

I looked up at Shinso, taking a moment to think about and consider his words. _It doesn't have to be, but it is._

And that isn't fair.

But Shinso knew better than anyone the unjust parts of life. For most of his life he couldn't even dictate what he wanted to be when he grew up. Being ostracized and judged for a power that he only ever wanted to take pride in, yet, Shinso still tried.

"Yesterday, my fight with Midoriya taught me something," he continued, moving his hand to rub the back of his neck. "Up until then, I had wanted to become a hero to prove to everyone that I could. I wanted to do it out of spite. But that—"

He inhaled sharply.

"That wouldn't make me a hero. Not the hero that _I_ want to be."

"So then… why do you want to become one?"

Shinso looked at me and showed a genuine, honest-to-goodness smile. I was surprised at how natural it looked on his face.

"Being human _is_ hard," he echoed. "But with someone else, it's a little bit easier."

_Maybe I can afford to be a little selfish— _

Without thinking twice about it, I leaned into him and closed my eyes.

—_If it means I know you're here._

* * *

I stood by my feelings toward hospitals. I never thought I'd be here again in such a short span of time, but life, as we all know, is unpredictable at the best of times. And the only thing that can be done about it is to adapt.

When Momo grabbed my hand, I was reminded of why we were here in the first place. The paparazzi and reporter vans had all cleared out, but a few officers remained stationed in front of the hospital in case anyone tried their luck. Knowing that someone really could was distressing to me, but I pushed that thought to the back of my head.

The rain still poured, but it was much less like a storm. It came down in manageable quantities, but the water was cool and slick against my skin. Momo and I were allowed to leave school early to come here, but actually being here felt unreal. I almost thought I was nine again.

"Are you ready?" Momo asked after what felt like an eternity. She didn't meet my gaze until now, her eyes wide and red and puffy, shedding tears she shouldn't have because this shouldn't have happened at all.

"Yeah," I muttered. I clutched the umbrella handle in one hand and her fingers in the other, and before either of us could think so much about it that we would have no choice but to turn away, we stepped forward.

The interior of the hospital was astonishingly warm. It was like being cradled in someone's arms, a complete change from the frigid temperature that prevailed outside. The hospital wasn't as busy as the last time I was here. The halls were emptier, less doctors and patients roamed around. I didn't know if this was a good or bad thing, but I felt uncomfortable all the same. With our umbrellas folded, we shuffled to the receptionist, and I decided to take it upon myself to speak for the both of us.

"Um, hi. We're here to see Yaoyorozu Haruka?" I asked. "We're her daughters…"

The woman behind the desk took a moment to get a good look at us. Maybe she saw the news, too. Maybe she pitied us. Maybe she, like us, had a fragile heart, and could sense the grief that emanated from us. Whatever it was, she smiled and handed us two passes.

"Hang in there," she told us. We nodded and walked away.

I'm sure Momo was as aware as I was at the passing glances we were given. People's heads turned, their gazes traveled, they all landed on us at some point as we passed by. It was beginning to get unbearable. Momo was used to being in the spotlight and I, not at all, but the both of us were trembling out of consternation and anxiety. Facing our mother, constantly being stared at, the entire situation in general— it was almost too much.

I took a deep breath, but my chest was heavy with the weight of fear. Breathing felt like a herculean task. I was scared and unsure and on the verge of turning on my heel and running away, but Momo squeezed my hand and looked at me with a small smile.

_You aren't alone,_ that smile told me.

We stood in front of our mother's room door. Our palms were clammy and neither of us dared to make a single move in fear of what would be awaiting us, but we had no other choice. I placed my hand in the door grip and slid it open, and, to my and Momo's shock, our mother wasn't alone.

Our father was there, too.

"Girls," he sounded, quickly standing from a chair that had been placed beside our mother's bed. He drew his brows together and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, I didn't know—"

"Takahiro."

I froze at my mother's voice. Calm and chilling, yet overflowing with… sadness.

"Please give us a moment."

"Of course," our father gasped. "Would you like anything, my love?"

She shook her head. "Just them."

Our father nodded and turned to us. He made his way to the door, but before stepping out, he pulled Momo and I into a tight hug. I felt the trembling of his arms that made his entire body do the same. And without another word, he left.

We took a small step inside and I closed the door behind me. My mother, who was always so elegant and graceful, had bare skin and unkempt hair. The eyeshadow and lipstick that decorated her features were gone, allowing us to see the bags under her eyes and smile lines that were beginning to form around the corners of her lips. I had always seen her as some sort of porcelain doll. It was surreal knowing she was still human.

"Mom…?" Momo breathed out. Our mother's lips lifted.

"Hello, Momo." She turned to me and the world stood still. "Hello, Ume."

Momo was the first to walk forward. She was suddenly in our mother's arms and shedding even more tears, sobs wracking her body as she tried to silence herself by placing her hand over her mouth. Our mother, slowly, tenderly, reached forward and placed her hand on Momo's head.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I'm sorry for doing this to you both."

_Sorry?_

That word. That single word made an unspeakable emotion flare to life within me, gathering in the pit of my stomach before racing to every part of my body, wriggling into my nerves, disturbing the very cracks of my bones.

"_Don't get in your sister's way."_

Sorry was reserved for small mistakes, accidents. Little things that could easily be resolved.

"_You'll never be what you think you are."_

This?

"_I wish you were dead."_

This was unforgivable.

My mind went blank with nothing but pure rage. I suddenly remembered everything my mother put me through, all the horrible things she's said to me, everything she did to try to make me feel small, how she isolated me and made me feel like I was nothing. Everything I thought I was beginning to understand about her went out the window. I was _furious._

With nothing else on my mind, having been evicted by the ire I felt, I stormed forward, pulled back my hand, and struck it against my mother's face. Momo gasped sharply. My mother remained stunned, unmoving, before touching her fingers to the spot on her cheek I slapped.

"Ume…?"

"How _dare_ you?!" I yelled. "After everything you did to us— to _me_— and the best you can come up with is 'I'm sorry'?!"

She shook her head. "No, I—"

"Do you know what you did to me?! You ruined my life! You destroyed my self esteem and made me question if I deserved to be happy! You made me feel small and alone and worthless!"

"Ume…" Momo muttered. My breath hitched. This came with the sobs— the tears I could no longer hold back because I was finally talking to my mother, and it was the worst thing I was ever experiencing.

"I wanted to impress you and make you proud! I wanted to show you that I could do good things, too! I wanted a mother, I—"

I choked on the air my lungs were desperate to inhale.

"I just wanted to be _loved_!"

She threw off the blankets and rushed toward me right as I collapsed. My head rested on my mother's shoulders as her arms wrapped around me. I don't remember being held like this. A mother's touch— it was soft and gentle, yet foreign and unwanted. I couldn't decide if I wanted to pull away or remain like this, but that was the last thing I cared about as I bawled. Another weight pressed against my mother's body and a hand brushed against my own.

"Girls," she breathed out. "I know begging for your forgiveness is selfish. I know I don't deserve to even be holding you now." She gently squeezed us. "But with everything that's happened, I've realized—"

I felt her nose press against my head.

"I was _so_ wrong."

I looked up at her. My vision was blurry and blobs of color flashed behind my eyelids, but I was able to see her, her long black hair fall past her shoulders, her onyx eyes gloss over, and it was a reminder of how much we looked alike.

"Growing up, I was always cast to the side. My mother and father made sure I never felt too good about myself. Hatred was all I knew, and I internalized that because I didn't know what else to do with it." She shook her head. "I was _so_ happy when I realized I was pregnant. I knew I would be giving birth to two beautiful angels."

She stroked our heads and it was enough to make me let out another sob.

"But I was a terrible mother. I tried pitting you two against each other, hurting you, taking your childhoods away from you. I took that hatred and I projected it onto you and I'm so, _sorry._ I don't deserve either of you. I don't deserve such wonderful daughters."

"Y-You don't mean that," I whimpered. Our mother chuckled.

"I do," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I know it's hard to believe after everything I've done to you, but I mean it from the bottom of my heart. I was sick and hurting and I despised myself, so I took it out on the both of you…"

So what if she's telling the truth? That didn't make everything she did okay— it didn't make what she said to me hurt less, it didn't make how she made Momo feel magically better, and it certainly didn't make either of us happier. I was still so angry, so bitter, resenting this woman I had to call my mother. She treated Saiko terribly and constantly ignored my father. She was rude to Miss Lila and looked down upon everyone she called her maid. She was a _liar,_ she had to be, and as soon as she was discharged from the hospital she would return to her old ways. I _knew_ it would happen, because… because people—

_(I'm a hypocrite.)_

People change. And I was still so overwhelmed with fury I was so sure that she wouldn't, but our mother was holding us, crying with us, kissing our foreheads and telling us the answer to things we had questioned so heavily growing up. I wasn't ready to forgive her, no, but the tears were slowing down and my mind was beginning to clear again. She isn't aware of how her actions and words affect people, she's sad and hurting and lonely and broken just like I am, caught in the whirlwind known as life and struggling to even keep standing. My mother knew. She lived and breathed what so many of us refused to accept.

_It's hard being human._

My heart ached for a moment like this with her, a time where I could fall into her arms and let out all my feelings, and she would stroke my hair and make me feel okay. And the moment was now, it was here, everything that I wanted, but there was a hole in my chest and no amount of crying or apologies could fill it.

We constantly teetered on the edge of grief and joy. Life was like a tightrope and many of us fell off while the rest remained clinging to the threads that proved our humanity. I was so scared of falling off, too, becoming what my mother was, but we both knew what suffering was and maybe that made us a bit more real than the rest.

I was starting to understand the sadness that followed her like her shadow, something that accompanied her until she could no longer deny that it was something that had become a part of her. Momo and I were blessed with people who we could call friends, people we could turn to when we needed someone. But my mother was a god to her fans and nothing to her family, left wallowing in the spaces of who she was and who everyone _thought_ she was until the only thing that remained was who she wasn't. _She's sad, Ume._

Taking a moment to wipe my tears, I finally tilted my head up to look into her eyes and in her reflection I saw myself.

"Mom?" I choked out. "You're lonely, aren't you?"

I knew it was something she had never been asked before. She never let anyone get close enough to ask it and even if she did, she wouldn't have admitted it. Because admitting that you're lonely made the reality hurt so much more. Her lip quivered and the tears pooling in her eyes finally fell, and she nodded, repeating her answer of yes over and over again until she was choking on her words and the very air we were breathing was too much.

"Okay," I muttered. "I get it now."

So here we were. All three of us, weeping and holding onto each other, the threads that were the only remnants we had of our humanity.

_It's okay if you're lonely._

I held onto her a little tighter.

_I have been for a while now, too._

* * *

Momo and I were never very close to her father. He wasn't around much, so even if we wanted to spend more time with him, we couldn't. Maybe he hated the way our home made him feel as much as Momo and I did, but he at the very least could escape from it. Regardless, he drove us home. On the car ride there, he let us know the first time he fell in love with our mother. She was a sassy, coy woman who grabbed his attention because she wore that bright cherry red lipstick. It was his favorite color, once upon time.

When we got home, he pulled us in for another hug, and though a small part of me had enough emotional moments to last a lifetime, I allowed this one to squeeze itself in.

"I know I've left the both of you alone for so long, but I want to make things right," he whispered. "Please, if you can forgive me—"

Momo and I looked at each other, and softly, we smiled.

"We do," we said in unison. _One day._

I decided that while I wasn't ready to forgive my mother, I was willing to work towards some sort of relationship with her. I wanted her to know that I truly expected to change, and while I didn't think it would be overnight, an effort would be appreciated. I called Saiko to let her know what happened and what was going to occur in the foreseeable future.

"I'm proud of you," she said. I smiled.

The next day in school, Momo and I were in arguably much better moods, and this didn't go unnoticed by our friends. Mina practically tackled me to the ground. Kirishima and Midoriya didn't hesitate to let me know how worried they were. I appreciated the fact they didn't make mention of my mother, instead just focusing on worrying about my wellbeing. Even Bakugo said his own words, and they weren't very comforting, but because it was him I didn't mind.

"You better be okay," he snorted as I passed by him. "You're still dead though, Princess. Don't forget that."

From behind us, Shinso chuckled. "You have quite the way with words, Bakugo."

"Shut the fuck up, raccoon eyed bastard!"

I smiled and turned around in my chair to face him. I mouthed a _thank you _and shifted my gaze to Momo. Her cheeks were dyed pink as she spoke to Todoroki, but I knew as long as she was with him, she would be okay.

"We have a couple of things to go over today," Aizawa-sensei announced as he stepped into the room at the same time the bell tone rang. "Firstly, your internships. Some of you have gotten offers based on your placement in the Sports Festival."

The class erupted into a mixture of groans and cheers. Aizawa-sensei fumbled in his pocket for a remote, and once he fished it out, he pushed a button that revealed a screen on the blackboard, showing our names with numbers beside them. I nearly choked upon seeing Bakugo's name first with over five hundred offers. Todoroki's name was second, followed by Tokoyami's and Iida's. I was slightly dispirited that I had only received a little over a hundred offers, with Momo getting the same amount, but the fact so many heroes showed interest in us at all was enough to disperse that disappointment.

We were handed sheets that contained a more detailed list of the heroes who were offering us internships. I was quick to flip through it, admittedly shocked at the fact I saw Hawks' name among others. I was grateful for his mentoring during the Sports Festival, but I knew that I wanted to work with someone that could help me develop my Quirk more while also working on my weak spots, namely speed and close combat. Additionally, I didn't want bias to play a part in how our internship went.

"Who are you choosing, Bakugo?" I asked without looking up from my paper. "You got a lot of offers, right?"

"I told you I'd come out number one." He whirled around in his chair. "Best Jeanist ain't lookin' too bad."

"Maybe he can turn you into less of a jerk," I teased. Bakugo immediately slammed his hand onto my desk, the only thing preventing him from blowing it to kingdom come being the glare Aizawa-sensei sent to the back of his head.

"What about you, Ume?" Midoriya asked. "Who are you choosing?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I'll have to look the list over." I glanced at the screen again and furrowed my brows at the lack of Midoriya's name. "Didn't you get any?"  
He laughed nervously and flailed his arms. "W-Well, since I injured myself during my fight with Todoroki, I don't think anyone wanted to intern me…"

"It's alright." I smiled. "Don't let that discourage you. You did great."

"Thanks, Ume!"

While chatting about our possible internships, Aizawa-sensei gave another announcement on how we would be choosing our hero names. I felt dismayed at the thought as I never took the time to consider what I'd want my hero name to be.

"We have someone who will help you," Aizawa-sensei said, turning to the door just as it opened. To my and my classmates' surprise, Midnight stood in the hallway, a wide grin on her face as she strut into the room and planted her hands firmly on her hips.

"M-Midnight!" Kaminari and Sero greeted enthusiastically. I rolled my eyes at the obvious implications of their ardor.

"As Eraserhead said, I'll be helping you choose your hero names!" Midnight said, lifting her domino mask over her head. "These names should be something that you want to convey to society. It should represent who you are as a person."

_Who I am?_

Who I was depended heavily on who was asked. To people like Kirishima, Mina, and Midoriya, I was their friend. To Momo, a sister. To Bakugo, a rival, a source of encouragement. To myself, well…

It made me think back to Shinso's words. He wanted to be someone who made people feel less lonely because he knew what that felt like. I wanted to be that, too. I wanted to be someone who people could look up to as a beacon of hope, someone who made the scary parts of life less that. As we were handed boards, I thought deeply on what I would want my name to be if I wanted to convey a certain message.

The fifteen minutes we were given by Midnight to choose our names were spent in complete silence, with only the occasional marker squeaking filling in the quietude. Shinso was the only one given an exception due to the fact he had just transferred into the hero course, and was told that he would be given time over the weekend to think about it.

Midnight clapped her hands to alert us of the time limit and scanned over us all, trying to persuade one of us into sharing these names. The initial excitement that came with picking our public personas dwindled, mostly out of sheepishness at the fact that perhaps we found our names silly, or too far fetched. I tried to hold the opposite feeling, but considering I _still_ haven't written a single thing down, it was more difficult to feel confident than I imagined.

"I'll go!" Kirishima suddenly spoke. He rose to his full height and scurried to the front of the room, holding the board toward him, showing far more zeal than anyone else.

"Well, I wanted to carry on the legacy of my favorite hero, Crimson Riot," he started, grinning brightly. "I mean, he's amazing! But this name is also special 'cause a close friend of mine helped choose it."

He turned his board around and I smiled.

"Red Riot," I muttered under my breath. Kirishima's willingness to share his hero name revitalized the entire class. One by one, several others began coming up, showing their writing on the respective boards. Uraraka would be known as Uravity. Tokoyami decided to go by Tsukuyomi. Momo went to the front, revealing her name to be the Everything Hero, Creati. I grinned in pure pride, a voice in the back of my head cheering _yeah, that's my sister._

Unfortunately, the amount of people who had yet to share their name was falling at a faster rate than I had expected until only three remained— Bakugo, Midoriya, and of course, myself. Bakugo huffed as he shoved his chair backwards and got to his feet. He shuffled to the front as if he couldn't be bothered to walk there at all, and banged his board against the podium before him.

"Ground Zero!" he announced boldly.

"How cool! I love it!" Midnight cooed. I found myself smiling at that, too. _Typical Bakugo._

Midoriya went up immediately after, brows furrowed as he tried to gather his words before smiling widely.

"Before, this was something used to put me down and make me feel bad, but someone changed the meaning for me," he said, slowly flipping over the board. "My hero name is Deku. I want it to be something that I could make mine."

A few claps and rounds of applause rang from our classmates who were particularly inspired by the name despite its negative connotation. I knew that with Midoriya taking his seat, I was the last one up. Taking a deep breath and staring at my still blank board, I pushed my chair back and slowly walked to the front.

My days at Yūei were like a frenzy. I had cried more than any other time in my life, but I had also smiled enough for a million people. I had learned things about myself, grown and improved, found my purpose in life and realized why this all meant so much to me. I was still just a child, but I knew that I wanted to change this world for the better, make leaps and strides to make it something that didn't make people hurt.

And then I figured it out.

Uncapping my marker, I scribbled the name that popped into my head as quickly as possible before closing the cap. Looking over it, maybe it wasn't entirely _me_, but I wanted it to be, and because of that, I was willing to work until I had the honor of calling myself it. Smiling, I turned my board over, and allowed everyone to take a moment to read the characters before glancing at the board once more myself.

_The Changing Hero—_

And that smile of mine, it widened.

_Silver Sky._

* * *

I caught myself yawning as I made my way down the hall. It wasn't that I was particularly tired, but considering all that had happened in the last twenty four hours, it wouldn't be unfair to say I was a _little_ exhausted. I clutched the internship application in my hands as I already made my choice and wanted to give it to Aizawa-sensei.

The teacher's lounge was a relatively easy trip. Since it was lunch time, I told myself I would hand in the papers and return to Mina and the rest afterwards. I slid my hand in the grip and opened the door, bowing my head at the number of gazes that fluttered toward me.

"Excuse the interruption," I said before stepping inside. It didn't take very long for my eyes to scan the entirety of the room, but my eyes widened at the head of purple hair that entered my vision. "Shinso?"

In mid conversation with Aizawa-sensei, he turned away and looked at me, raising a brow.

"Yaoyorozu," he returned.

"What're you doing here?"

"I got an offer."

I noticed the lift in Aizawa-sensei's lips if only because he never smiled, and seeing such stood out rather prominently toward me.

"Congrats," I said with a smile. "From who?"

Shinso's eyes left my own to settle on the paper in my hands, an amused smile crossing his face.

"Same as you, it seems," he answered. I chuckled and gently nudged him with my elbow before giving the paper to Aizawa-sensei. I looked over the name and nodded, knowing that it was for sure who I wanted to intern with for a week, especially if I wanted to develop further in the areas I was lacking. I certainly wouldn't mind being with Shinso, training alongside with him and watching the both of us grow and bloom.

_Sir Nighteye._

Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad thing, after all.

* * *

**A/N:**

And I'm back! I'm sorry for taking a bit long with this chapter, but I was swamped with work for school. On top of that, I got incredibly sick and I'm still kind of recovering, so it hindered my creative process and motivation levels. I'm glad I was able to get this out, though.

I knew I wanted Ume to intern with Nighteye from the very beginning. If you don't know him, I suggest reading the manga chapters (I believe he appears in chapter 125 or so) to get a better feel for his character. There will be no spoilers pertaining to his character, at least not in this point of the story, but I still suggest checking out the chapters! And yes, Ume and Shinso will be interning together. I figured since Shinso's Quirk isn't very suited for combat, he would intern with someone who could teach him to navigate around without relying on his Quirk. So yes, ShinUme stans, you'll be fed well in the next few chapters!

I also kind of wanted ume to begin to have closure when it came to her mother? or at least, her mother begin to realize her actions. their relationship won't be fixed overnight, absolutely not, but they're starting someone.

I want to thank you all for your continued love and support! I've decided to create a tumblr blog dedicated to this and my other stories. If you'd like to ask a question about any of my stories or characters (or even myself), submit fanart, or read up more about everyone, head on over to wabiisabiis .. tumblr.. com (remove the spaces and extra dots). It's still _very_ new so things are unfinished, but I'll be working on it as time goes on. Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next time!


	13. Resonance

**Disclaimer:** I don't own BNHA.

* * *

**xiii. resonance**

—

* * *

I remember envying everyone who could proudly say they had a mother. Mother's day was often the most dreaded day of the year for me. While my classmates all excitedly chatted about what they were going to do for the occasion— eat at a nice restaurant or go shopping or spend time at a spa— I instead had to prepare myself for my mother's drunken wrath, or if I was lucky, have her ignore me until she was ready to strike again.

For my entire life, all I wanted was a mother. Someone I could trust and confide in; who I could cry to and ask advice from; who I could forge new memories with, who could hold me and wipe my tears and tell me _it's alright_. All I wanted, more than _anything_, was for her to look at me.

But not like this.

She strolled into one of the lounging rooms with her silver heels clicking against the marble tile and her baby blue dress flowing behind her. Onyx eyes were decorated with a swipe of pale blue eye shadow and mascara. Her hair, silky and black like the darkest night, hung in loose waves around her shoulders and down her back. My mother, as people knew her, beautiful, glorious. Considered a goddess to some. _My_ mother— flawed and imperfect, just as or maybe more human than the rest of us.

"Hello, girls," she greeted. Her voice was smooth like honey, lacking the stench of alcohol or the familiar sting of spite. I almost didn't recognize it, and I began to wonder whether or not this was her natural tone. Momo sat at a grand piano, one that was given to her for her birthday years ago, while I took my seat by her on a stool. Mother stood by the piano, her elbows leaning against the lid.

"What are you playing, Momo?" she asked. When Momo looked up at her, I could see the sparkle in her eyes as if an entire galaxy had been born in her irises.

"I'm not sure," she said, slender fingers flipping through a music book. "Any suggestions?"

"Mm… _Liebestraum_?"

Momo gasped and clapped her hands together. "I love that song!"

She positioned her fingers over the keys and pressed down softly on the first note; a melody soon followed, gentle and tender. It was one of the first songs Momo learned when she first began taking piano lessons. By now, she had memorized each note and chord, the tempo, the expression. Mother hummed along softly to the tune while I looked down on my lap where my sketchbook was.

"What are you drawing, Ume?"

My head snapped upwards as soon as she called my name. I was still extremely unused to her acknowledging me. The fact she even said my name suddenly made it sound like a word that didn't exist.

"Um… nothing in particular," I answered with a quieted voice so Momo could focus on the song. I lowered my head and glided the tip of the pencil across the page randomly, creating arcs, circles, and swirls, but nothing that could be considered an actual drawing.

"May I?"

When I lifted my head again, a pale hand was outstretched toward me.

"May I… see your drawings?"

I suddenly felt incredibly protective of my sketchbook, like a guardian tasked with protecting her rare treasure from intruders. Growing up, my art was at times all I had; it was my escape, my freedom from the shackles she had placed upon me and my mind, my freedom from _her_. It was the only thing I could call mine, and I wasn't ready to give that up. Not yet, at least.

"I-I, um…" I stammered awkwardly. Whether or not she was aware of my reluctance, my mother retracted her hand and nodded tepidly.

"It's alright. I understand," she said, her voice significantly softer. Or maybe sadder. It was hard to tell the difference. "Well, if you ever want to show me anything, I will be here." She capped off her sentence with a smile before starting a new one. "You girls are heading off to your internships tomorrow, yes?"

The song ended and Momo turned to Mother with a cordial grin.

"Yes!" she said. "I've decided to intern with Ryukyu. I heard that one of our upperclassmen is an intern with her, as well."

"Wonderful. And what about you, Ume?"

"Sir Nighteye," I responded.

"Oh? I've seen him a few times at our sponsorship parties," Mother chuckled. "An interesting man, he is."

I didn't know what to make of that, so I just nodded and closed my sketchbook. Though I told myself I would at least make an effort in trying to establish some semblance of a relationship with my mother, both my mind and body both vehemently rejected her. Her words felt empty, her gaze, I had convinced myself, was obviously a ruse. I had spent all of my life guarding and protecting myself from her, even with the threat no longer that, it felt _wrong_ to not defend myself.

I was tired of being hurt by the people I was supposed to love. The burden of a broken heart created by those labelled as the most significant people in my life was too heavy to carry, and it seemed my only way of preventing that was to reject everything regarding it. I had friends and people who I would trust with my life, but _this_— I knew I was alone when it came to this, and that terrified me more than anything.

My mother called my name but her voice, along with all other sounds and sensations, had become dull. I stood up and left the lounging area, scurrying to my room as quickly as possible. As soon as I closed the door behind me I let out an easy breath. My room was my safe haven, my sanctuary. The one place no one and nothing could hurt me except for my own thoughts.

I strolled to my bed and fell onto it. As the back of my head sunk into the soft pillows below me, I picked up my phone on the bedside stand and dialed for Saiko. I needed her reassurance, someone to tell me that the feelings I had toward my mother weren't wrong, and I was allowed to be hesitant and angry and confused.

"Hello?" she asked as soon as she picked up. "Ume?"

"Hi," I returned.

"How are you? Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine," I muttered. "Things are _fine_ but… I don't know why that's such an issue to me. I'm still getting used to Mom being around, and…"

I trailed off. Ever since she returned from the hospital, her presence has made me uneasy and unsettled, like a bad omen or maybe a bad thought. Encroaching, unsuspecting, before ultimately striking. The issue was that I didn't know when, and as often as I was on guard, it was exhausting to never be able to relax.

"Your mother, she… she's trying to fix this in the only way she knows how," Saiko said. "I know it won't make up for everything she did, but she's trying to change."

"I don't understand why _now_, though. Why so suddenly?"

"... I'll tell you a story, Ume," she said. I paused. "You know, a couple months ago, your mother came to my house late at night and just started crying as soon as I opened the door."

_Months?_

"She told me she wanted to change but didn't know how. She said that she wanted to be a better mother and wife, but she was _scared_ because the life she lived was the only one she knew. She did bad things because that's what she had grown up learning, and… well, I think she's trying her best."

I didn't respond initially. I let Saiko's words permeate in my head and envelop my thoughts, process each and every word and what they meant. I was stuck at a crossroads between wanting to forgive and work towards something better and wanting to stay angry for everything she did to me. My mind was a daze, pulled in every and all directions, and I found myself trapped in a dilemma, trying to figure out if I should keep a hold of the past or look toward the future.

_Does this make me a bad person?_

"I just… need some time," I muttered. Somehow, I had a feeling Saiko was smiling.

"No one blames you for that," she said. And for the second time, I paused. The saying time heals all wounds is not an uncommon one. Time, infinite and constantly moving, is what allowed negative feelings and connotations to flow out and become nothing more than an afterthought. It was far more forgiving than I had thought. _Give me time,_ I kept repeating to myself. And the more it cycled in my head, the more I realized that no matter what, this was something I would move on from.

I smiled.

* * *

"Umerozu, Yaomomo! Hey, over here!"

Mina was the first to greet Momo and I as we approached the mob that was our classmates. The station was as busy as I knew it to be, filled with people all scurrying back and forth to their respective platforms, though those who had a bit of time before their train's arrival slowed and stared at the Yūei students gathered together. It only made my lips curl up as I thought about how frequently our school was in the spotlight.

"Hi there, Mina," I greeted, her arms immediately wrapping around me in a tight hug. Kirishima followed shortly after, the feeling of their embraces lingering even after we separated.

"Are you nervous, Umerozu?" Kirishima question, sloping his head to the side. I inhaled sharply through my teeth as I thought about my answer.

"Sort of," I settled on, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. "I don't really know what Sir Nighteye is like. I just hope I live up to his expectations as much as my own."

"I'm sure you won't have to worry too much about that, Yaoyorozu," a voice from behind me said. A shoulder brushed against mine and when I turned my head, amethyst eyes were gazing into my onyx, though they held a somewhat uncharacteristic mischief behind them. I chuckled softly at Shinso's presence and gently pushed him away.

"Maybe if he finds you as underwhelming as me, I won't get chewed out," I teased. Shinso smirked slightly and walked past me, carrying his suitcase over his shoulder. I looked back at Momo, who grinned widely at me, prompting me to raise a baffled brow.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," she hummed, making her way over to our other classmates. Just as I reached out to her, Mina spoke, her face entering my vision.

"You and Shinso are getting along well!" she noted, Kirishima nodding along. It took me a moment to realize, but her statement was most likely the exact same thing Momo was thinking. I felt my cheeks and ears turn warm and quickly turned away from them.

"We just… can relate to each other, I guess," I muttered, hiding my embarrassment with an awkward cough.

"You guys are nothing alike, though," Kirishima continued. "He hasn't really spoken to any of us."

"Plus, one is totally _hot_."

I shot Kaminari a glare bordering dangerously on _I will hurt you_, that being all the blond needed to keep his distance from me a good three feet. Mina burst into laughter, while Kirishima just patted his back, and Kaminari groaned, his head dropping in defeat. To the side, Momo was engaged in a conversation with Iida and Todoroki. Shifting my gaze a bit more, I saw Ochako with Midoriya. I smiled and excused myself, approaching them with a smile.

"Umerozu!" Ochako gasped, bouncing on her heels. "Who are you interning with?"

"Sir Nighteye," I answered. "He's about an hour away by train."

"You're going with Shinso-san, right?" Midoriya asked, receiving an answer from me in the form of a nod.

"He's rather close to Hosu City."

I made mention of this because Midoriya had told me the day after we received our applications that he had actually gotten an offer. I was ecstatic for him— he still made it relatively far into the Sports Festival in spite of his injuries, and I thought it would be a waste of hard work if he sacrificed so much only to not have anything to prove that.

"Oh! We should exchange phone numbers!" Ochako suggested. I smiled and nodded.

"Sure. We can keep in contact while we're gone," I said, handing her my phone. Chocolate eyes lit up in awe as she stared at the device, a sheepish expression coming to her face as she lent me her own, a flip phone. I noticed the change in demeanor, a bit of guilt suddenly striking my heart.

"Flip phones are really cute," I started, smiling. Ochako tilted her head up to look at me. "I really like the aesthetic. And you can attach little charms to them."

"Yeah! I love customizing it!" she said, taking back her phone after I put in my number, and did the same with Midoriya. I felt a weight leave my shoulders when I saw her face had brightened. "I hope I can get something for it while I'm with Gunhead!"

Midoriya nodded. "You wanted to focus on close combat, right, Uraraka-chan?"

I had to assume everyone chose to intern with someone who could help them utilize their Quirk in better ways or focus on strengthening their weak points. Perhaps some like Kaminari had more shallow reasons, but thinking that about my own classmates was both rude and demeaning.

We were all going in different directions, away from each other, in new environments with new experiences. I was slightly nervous, apprehensive and unsure, but I had to remind myself that I had been in scarier situations. And as I glanced over at Shinso, I had to also keep in mind that I wasn't alone.

"I'll miss you guys," I said, pulling Ochako and Midoriya in for a hug. "Take care, okay?"

"You too, Ume," Midoriya replied with a confident smile.

"Keep in touch!" Ochako called, waving her arm as I began to walk away from them.

"I will!"

I made my way back to Kirishima and Mina, who were now joined by Kaminari, Sero, and a bit surprisingly, Bakugo, though I doubted that was of his own willingness.

"Umerozu!" Mina said. "We should exchange phone numbers!"

I chuckled. "I was just about to ask."

As we all told each other our phone numbers, my eyes flickered toward Bakugo, who continued to sulk with his hands buried deep into his pockets. I approached him, offering a small smile as I tugged at the loose strands of thread present on my blazer. I had found out in passing that he was interning with the pro hero Miruko rather than Best Jeanist. I supposed he found her headstrong demeanor and direct way of fighting to be more appealing than Best Jeanist's more subtle, quiet approach.

"Which direction are you going?" I asked. Bakugo snorted.

"Why do you care?"

"Because I'm curious," I said, withholding the urge to roll my eyes. "I'm heading near Hosu City."

I noticed his gaze waver slightly if only because I was looking closely at him.

"Opposite way," he muttered. I smiled.

"Excited?"

"To beat bastards up?"

"In general, dummy."

"Fuck you."

I chuckled and nudged him with my elbow. "Come on, don't be in such a sour mood. You'll come out of this better than you are now. That's the whole point of this whole thing."

Bakugo snorted. "Whatever," he muttered. "You're going with that racoon eyed bastard, right?"

"He has a name," I corrected, scrunching up my nose. "But yes, _Shinso_ and I have the same internship."

He looked like he was going to say something. His jaw clenched and his crimson gaze flickered like the steady flame of a candle before he ultimately relaxed, responding to me with a mere shrug of his shoulders. I couldn't pinpoint why I felt disappointed by his lack of words, but I quickly pushed that feeling to the back of my head.

"Give me your phone," were the words that ultimately ended the silence that came in between us. I froze for a moment, my eyes surveying every part of Bakugo's form just to make sure that it was still him, and not an impostor who had somehow been replaced right in front of me while I was distracted.

"What?"

"You fuckin' heard me," the blond huffed. I smirked slightly. I _did_, but I wanted the luxury of him admitting he wanted to keep in contact. I handed Bakugo my phone, which he snatched out of my hand, and quickly punched in his number. When he handed it back to me, I glanced at the screen, my brows creasing together.

"Katsuki?"

His lips twisted downward into a frown. "What?"

"Oh—" I shook my head. "Nothing, just… I'm used to calling you Bakugo."

"No one said you had to call me by my first name," he said. I nodded.

"I know." I smiled. "But I kind of want to now."

"Don't get used to it, Princess."

"Don't worry. I will."

He looked just about ready to blast me into next week. Instead, I laughed, disregarding his glowing palm with a dismissive wave of my hand. _Katsuki_. From what I recall, his name was written with the kanji for victory; in many ways, he embodied that word, took it and made it his own.

I suppose a small part of me envied him for his natural born intellect, strength, and overall resolve, but I knew this was from my admiration of him, my desire to be someone as strong as he was. Bakugo wasn't someone who gave empty compliments or even looked in the direction of those he deemed weaker than him. The fact that he allowed me to use his first name— something so meaningful because it was proof of what was undeniably his fate— was something that meant more to me than he knew.

"Hey," I said. "You should just call me Ume."

Bakugo turned to me. "Eh?"

"It's… my name," I started. "It means plum, and it's something that I used to hate, but when everyone started calling me by it, I learned to love it. It wasn't even supposed to be my first name, but… it's the name my mother gave me."

I almost winced at the mention of my mother before quickly stopping myself. I sighed and shrugged my shoulders.

"It's… a part of me, and I feel like it's what helps connect me to everyone, you know? So call me Ume, and I'll call you Katsuki."

I was surprised at how natural his name suddenly felt against my tongue. If he weren't right in front of me I would have repeated it over and over again, let it become second nature until I thought about it even when I dreamt. Katsuki looked at me, ruby meeting onyx. I felt at times that he struggled to decide between behaving a certain way because of the image he wanted to uphold and behaving because of how he actually felt.

"Fine," he eventually relented. "I'm leaving."

"Okay," I said. I waved as he turned on his heel, and watched him move farther and farther away before he stopped, pivoted around, and looked straight at me.

"Oi, Ume," he called. I swore I saw him smirk. "... It ain't bad."

He disappeared before I even had a chance to say anything else, swallowed by a mob of people that passed by. I was left in somewhat of a daze at his words, continuing to think about it as if his voice left an imprint on my mind. What derailed my train of thought was a heavy weight followed by Mina yelling into my ear, causing me to nearly topple over.

"Umerozu!" she practically screeched. "We're gonna be leaving now!"

"O-Okay," I coughed out, turning to her. "Be safe and have fun, alright? Tell me about everything."

"I will!" she returned, pulling me in for another hug. Kirishima joined in, followed by Kaminari and Sero until we were all squished together in one big group hug. I laughed softly as we separated, and we all shared our goodbyes before they all parted in different directions.

"Ume?"

I turned my head, feeling significantly warmer as Momo approached me, and I held out my arms towards her, pulling her in for a tight hug. Momo sighed softly, and she took a step back, brushing a strand of hair out of my eyes.

"This will be the longest we've been apart, won't it?" she asked. I nodded.

"A whole week," I said. "But it's okay. Maybe we need the break. Being a twin is exhausting."

Momo grinned. "At least we won't have people coming up to us asking if we're related."

We both laughed at the shared experience we were far too accustomed to. We embraced one more time, for as long as we were allowed before we had to head to our trains. When we pulled away again, Momo's smile became softer, more tender.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," I said. "I'll see you in a week. Text me when you get there!"

"You, too!"

We waved as she took a few small steps backwards before she turned around and scurried away. I looked around for Shinso now that it was close to our time to leave, but when I didn't catch sight of purple hair, my heart began to race slightly. It was only until I heard a sharp whistle enter my ears, and I whirled on my heel, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw Shinso standing underneath one of the many signs that hung throughout the station.

"There you are," I sighed as I walked towards him. "Ready?"

"Why are you asking me? I was waiting for you," he responded in his usual dry tone. I huffed and followed after him, keeping his form in my vision as we weaved through small crowds. We moved past crying children tugging at their mother's fingers and weary businessmen getting home from a long shift at the office. A chilly breeze blew across my skin as a train pulled into the station, the somewhat familiar robotic tone of the announcer echoing throughout the entire area. I thought back to when I ran past all of this with Kirishima. Because we were rushing, I was unable to take in the scenery before me— _this_— and for one reason or another, it made me a bit sad.

"Hey, Shinso?"

He stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder at me. Even when he didn't say anything, I spoke.

"You ever go through— or, I don't know, experience something more than once? And the first time, it's great, and you only remember happiness, but the second time, you just feel… really, _really_ sad?" I stepped toward the track. "When I came here with Kirishima, we ran for our train, and we laughed and talked… and I thought 'this was one of the happiest days of my life'. But I'm here again, _different_ from who I was that day, and right now, I feel…"

I took in a deep breath.

"Gray."

Shinso pursed his lips, remaining quiet. We stood for a while, wallowing in the sounds and sights of this Tokyo train station. We were a few feet away from each other and I'm sure to an outsider's perspective, we simply looked like two strangers waiting for the same train, living individual lives, independent from each other, like everyone else who walked by.

But then Shinso spoke.

"Tokyo is a sad type of beautiful," he muttered. "Maybe you've just become aware of that."

I clenched my suddenly clammy palms, nails digging into my skin.

"Have you?"

Shinso chuckled softly. "I wouldn't love it so much if I haven't."

Tokyo. A city of loneliness and fleeting dreams. I grew up here all my life, grown used to its flickering lights at night and blooming flowers in the morning. I whispered to it my darkest secrets and brightest hopes, and they were there somewhere, floating in the same air its people breathed. It was both a concrete jungle and a remnant of the past, a place where dreams of the future and nostalgia for what once was collided.

As another train pulled into the station and my hair whipped around my face from the breeze, I thought about this sadness I felt that seemed to linger everywhere I went. Suppose this sadness I constantly felt was a tangible thing— but because sadness was not a palpable force, something that couldn't be grabbed and ripped out of me despite the fact that I desperately wish it could, suppose that this sadness I felt was instead darkness.

And suppose in this darkness, I had grown so used to the silence, the loneliness, and even the paresthesia that seemed to come and go on a whim, that anything else felt like it was going to kill me. Because this darkness had become so entwined with my entire being that even the light was a threat to my very existence.

Does that make me a monster?

I held onto this darkness, or sadness— but at this point, was there a difference?— because it was, at times, the only thing that served as a reminder of the fact that I was real. And yet, in my pursuit for that whimsical feeling known as happiness, I also tried to reject it, make it my enemy because I wanted to forget what it did to me. In spite of my wishes and endeavors, the darkness always returned, often when I least expected it, because at least then I couldn't hide from it. But the truth was there, wasn't it? It wasn't a darkness or sadness, or its own entity at all. It was always me.

So suppose I hated myself so much that I wanted to become something different, something completely unlike what I was. I didn't care what. As long as it was something that wasn't me, that's all that mattered, because according to myself, I was the worst thing that has ever and will ever live.

As I continued to reject myself, suppose I learned that it was only making me more miserable. Despite my best efforts, who I was and who I wanted to be were not synonymous. I had to accept this darkness as a part of me, but in defiance of what others thought, maybe, just maybe, that wasn't a bad thing.

_I can't leave._

In a perfect world, I became that thing, and lived happily ever after. But this world, for all its cruelty and hatred and lack of mercy, could never be perfect. And neither could I. So I'd take the darkness, and, rather than try to make it something it wasn't, I would embrace it, or let it embrace me. If I stood still enough, I could revel in the silence and loneliness and learn to find solace in there. And then, maybe, I could begin to see the stars.

_Not when I've made this my home._

* * *

Whether because I was exhausted or the mere thought of staying awake on a train for an hour was that unappealing to me, I had fallen asleep and found myself awoken with a sharp jolt. My forehead would have slammed into the seat in front of me if Shinso hadn't pulled me back. I blinked my weariness away and looked around in confusion. My gaze settled on the outside of a window. The scenery was almost underwhelmingly similar to Musutafu, perhaps with a few less buildings that didn't make it nearly as compact.

"I didn't know you drooled."

I glanced at my classmate beside me, a wry grin on his lips.

"I don't," I argued. Unfortunately, the feeling when I moved my lips said otherwise. I frowned and wiped whatever saliva had escaped from my mouth with my sleeve, slightly appalled I did that at all, and stood up, grabbing my suitcase from the overhead rack.

I let out a loud yawn as I joined the dozens of bodies all standing up once the train came to a complete stop and the doors opened. I stepped out onto the platform, with Shinso directly behind me, only to stumble back into him when a pair of beady blue eyes suddenly entered my line of sight. I stared at a tall blond boy who leaned over to reach my height, his hand held up to his ear.

"The journey ahead…?!" he started. I blinked a few times in confusion and looked at Shinso, who just shrugged his shoulders.

"I-I'm sorry?" I stammered. The boy fell over and released a hearty laugh.

"You're supposed to say 'is full of difficulties'!" he explained. "You're both totally lame!"

I once again glanced at Shinso, who seemed just as lost as I was. He sighed and stepped in front of me, scratching the back of his neck.

"I'm going to assume you know who we are," he said. "We're supposed to be heading to Sir Nighteye's agency."

"Yep! You're the pair of first years he reached out to!" the boy said. I had a feeling he was speaking more to himself than to us. "My name is Togata Mirio, and I'm also a student at Yūei! A third year!"

"O-Oh," I stammered. "Nice to meet you, Togata-senpai. I'm—"

He pointed directly at Shinso and I. "I know your names!" He looked at me. "You're Yayorush Yume—" He turned to Shinso. "And _you're_ Shino Hikari!"

"What?" my classmate scowled. I giggled and gently nudged his side with an elbow.

"You heard him, _Shino_."

He glowered at me. "Don't try saying anything to me, _Yayorush._"

"Let's go, you two! I'll take ya to Sir's building!"

Togata-senpai turned around and began marching out of the station. I decided to ignore the several stares aimed our way and instead tried to focus on the prospects of this internship. It was somewhat comforting to know another Yūei student was an intern as well, but in the same breath it was distressing, based on the few seconds of interactions we had with our upperclassman. Still, in spite of his apparently lax and carefree demeanor, I had to assume he was skilled enough to catch the attention of Sir Nighteye.

Of course, it also could have been pure coincidence. I wasn't going to pretend we were on the same level because we were working with the same Pro Hero. Being a third year, Togata-senpai obviously had more experience under his belt, so in that regard, he's already defeated me in every way.

Shinso and I were led about ten minutes away from the train station, entering a more urban area, with more people and cars zipping down the street. The green of tree tops melded with the blue of the clear sky, as well as the grays and browns that decorated the skyscrapers. In the midst of my sightseeing, I wasn't even aware Togata-senpai stopped until I bumped into his back, causing me to stagger backwards a few steps until I felt a pair of hands steady my shoulders.

"You're seriously clumsy," Shinso said. I pouted and folded my arms over my chest as his hands dropped back to his sides.

"It's a good thing you're here then, right?" I asked. He smirked and directed his attention to whatever Togata-senpai was looking at. I did the same, my eyes landing on a tall, five story building that sat on the corner, with a relatively modern and sleek design, feature large tinted windows.

"We're here!" Togata-senpai announced with a wide smile, planting his hands firmly on his hips. "Before we go in, I should tell you guys that Sir is pretty strict… okay, _really_ strict. He's got really high standards for everyone who works with him."

I nodded in understanding. I expected something like Aizawa-sensei's attitude, but I knew even he could loosen the rules at times. Something told me this man wouldn't. As we followed Togata-senpai through the front automatic doors and into the lobby, he continued speaking.

"But, there's a secret side of him!" he continued. "If you wanna have any hope of continuing this internship… you have to make him laugh at least once before he decides to kick you out!"

Both Shinso and I stopped in our tracks. Togata-senpai must have realized this, because he turned around to face us and burst out into another fit of laughter.

"I know those looks on your faces!" he exclaimed. "You're both totally thinking, 'this guy must be lying', right? But I'm telling the truth! Sir really likes humor! It's what he respects despite his stone cold glare!"

"Yaoyorozu?" Shinso asked, turning to me. It was my first time seeing genuine concern on his face or hearing it in his voice, and although I usually tried to maintain an optimistic mindset on these things, I was just as nervous as he was.

"Come on, don't look so scared," I said, playfully punching his shoulder. "You're hilarious."

"You're just saying that."

"I'm not!"

Shinso was unconvinced. He walked past me, raking his fingers through his hair. It was odd witnessing this vulnerable side of him, but I knew it was only because this was something he wanted more than anything, and for it to be able to slip through his fingers so easily was nothing short of stressful.

"Sir isn't so cruel to not acknowledge your effort," Togata-senpai said. "Just do your best!"

"Um… thank you," I muttered. I looked over at Shinso, who was now pacing, muttering something under his breath, brows pulled together deep in thought. I approached him and gently tugged on his shirt sleeve. Shinso looked at me, a hint of aggravation in his amethyst irises that melted as soon as we made eye contact.

"Hey, look, just… act natural," I said. "If we want to be funny, we can't be stressed about it. Otherwise, it'll come off as forced."

He snorted. "What do you know about comedy?"

I smirked. "From you, of course."

He frowned at my implication, but heeded my words regardless. Togata-senpai led us upstairs, the silence as our minds went into overdrive maddening. My heartbeat pounded in my ears like mighty drums, so much so that I almost thought I was going into cardiac arrest. When we reached the top floor, we reached a hallway with a single door at the end that made it all the more daunting. I suddenly found it nearly impossible to move, my legs heavy like lead.

"Oi," Shinso mumbled from my side. "Don't get nervous on me. You're the entire reason why I've been able to act calm."

"Following my example?" I chuckled sardonically. There was a lift in his lips that was able to put me a bit at ease. Without even thinking, I reached down and grabbed his hand. They were clammy and trembling, but so were mine, so it didn't really matter. We stepped forward, Togata-senpai still smiling without a hint of concern on his face, and he opened the door, stepping in through it.

"I'm back, Sir!" he announced. "I brought the first years!"

When he moved to the side and we tread into the office, Shinso and I shared equal looks of shock and horror at the sight of a young, blue skinned woman strapped to some kind of machine. She cackled wickedly with tears running down her cheeks as a feather attached to an automated arm brushed all over her body. Above her in bright lettering were the words _Tickle Hell_; I was suddenly more terrified than nervous.

"Oh my god," I said aloud before quickly slapping my hand over my mouth. A man appeared from behind the contraption, eyes hidden by his rectangular framed glasses, green and yellow hair styled neatly into a professional haircut.

"So, you're them," he said, approaching us. He towered over Shinso and I, forcing us to directly tilt our heads up just to meet his gaze.

"U-Um, yes," I coughed out. "M-My name is Yaoyorozu Ume."

"Shinso Hitoshi."

Our hands clasped together even tighter. Sir Nighteye tilted his head downwards, allowing me to see his bright golden eyes as they shifted to our hands.

"There will be absolutely no romance in my agency," he said, adjusting the collar of his pristine suit.

"Romance?" Shinso parroted. We both look at our interlocked hands and stumbled away from each other as quickly as possible, my heartbeat once again picking up speed.

"N-No, Sir Nighteye, you have the wrong idea!" I quickly argued. "We're just friends, nothing more!"

"Huh?" Togata-senpai asked. "Then why were you guys holding hands?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but Shinso spoke before I did, surprising me and perhaps even him.

"We were nervous," he said flatly. "Sometimes it's easier to be scared when you're with someone else. That's all."

I poked Shinso in the side. "You said that wrong," I whispered. "It's 'sometimes it's not as scary when you're with someone else', dummy."

He frowned. "Really? You're doing this now?"

"I'm just helping you _not_ look like a fool in front of Sir Nighteye."

"You should be helping yourself."

My cheeks burned in embarrassment and anger, but before I could utter another word to my purple haired classmate, out of my peripheral, I noticed a movement in Sir Nighteye's stance. We both turned to him and there was the slightest twitch in his upper lip.

"You two are entertaining," he remarked. I smiled widely, and Togata-senpai offered a thumbs up. "It seems you both understand humor and its importance in being a hero."

Truthfully, I didn't. However, I didn't intend on letting Sir Nighteye know that, and I instead bobbed my head to his words.

"I deem both of you worthy of becoming my interns," he said and gestured to Togata-senpai with a flick of his wrist. "Mirio, please release Bubble Girl. You two, come with me."

The weight that made by body feel like it was instead composed of a hundred bricks lifted, making it all the more easier to walk and breathe. Elated, I followed Sir Nighteye out of the office, slowing my pace when a hand brushed against my own, Shinso's smirking face looking at me.

"Good job, _Yayorush."_

I grinned.

"Thanks, _Shino."_

* * *

Shinso and I were led to the fourth floor, to a rather small room composed of only two beds, a single bathroom, and a window. Sir Nighteye turned to us, his head lowered slightly in order to even fit in the space.

"This will be your living quarters," he said. I grimaced. "Make yourselves comfortable. Change into your hero costumes and meet me in the lobby in exactly thirty minutes."

He exited the room, slamming the door shut. Shinso and I stared at each other and then back at what was supposed to be our living space for the next week. It was dull and drab; the wallpaper was peeling and the floor had stains and cracks on it. The window was dusty and the beds were more like cots, with only a single blanket and pillow to provide us any sort of comfort.

"What is this, some sort of prison?" Shinso asked, dropping his suitcase next to the bed on the right. I sighed and took the opposite one, sitting on the edge.

"I wonder if this was a mistake," I groaned. I began regretting not choosing Hawks. Shinso sighed and shook his head.

"Doesn't matter. We're here now, so we might as well just get it over with."

"Look at you, being the optimist."

Though his face didn't change, there was a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Change first," he told me. "I'll change out here."

I nodded and grabbed my suitcase stepping into the bathroom without another moment of hesitation. We had thirty minutes to meet Sir Nighteye, but I knew lounging around because of the illusion of time wasn't the best idea.

I stepped into the bathroom, closing the door, and sighed deeply at the fact its conditions were just the same as the actual room. There was only a small shower, toilet, and sink with a broken mirror over it. A dim light bulb is what lit the entirety of the bathroom. In spite of the low light, I could see grime and mold lining the walls of the shower, dirt on the toilet, and the sink was leaking. I suddenly became incredibly nauseous at the conditions, and the thought that came after was if this was even legal.

I changed into my costume as quickly as I could while avoiding touching anything, but I felt the urge to take a two hour long shower just by being in the room. As soon as I put on my boots, I scurried out of the room, exhaling a breath I didn't even know I was holding.

"It's disgusting in there," I groaned. Shinso scoffed.

"Figures."

I took a moment to glance at him and examine his costume. He wore a black skin tight sleeveless shirt with slightly baggier pants of the same shade, topped off by white knee high boots. A loose fabric hung around his neck, somewhat similar to the one Aizawa-sensei wore, as well the same fabric attached to his hip. He played with the cuffs of his fingerless gloves before looking at me, a brow raised.

"What?"

"Oh—" I quickly diverted my gaze. "Nothing. Sorry."

He let out a hum and strode towards the door, stopping just before he touched the doorknob, and turned toward me.

"Your hero costume is…"

"What?"

"Nothing." I saw a small lift in his lips. "You look good."

* * *

"You're early."

Sir Nighteye had his hands folded behind his back, standing with impeccable posture at his full height that made him even more intimidating than when I first saw him. Bubble Girl and Togata-senpai stood by his side, the former carrying a clipboard, and the latter, a wide smile.

"Oh, um, yes," I spoke. "We—"

"Quiet!" Sir Nighteye suddenly shouted. In froze in place, his gaze now hardened and severe. "If I recall, I told you two to meet me here in _exactly_ thirty minutes. It has been sixteen minutes and twenty four seconds."

_Oh_.

I could tell Shinso was holding back the urge to roll his eyes. Meanwhile, I clenched and unclenched my fists in nervousness.

"Fine," Sir Nighteye continued. "Since I already said I will accept you as my interns, I cannot go back on my word. Instead, you will be punished." I blanched at the thought of the _Tickle Hell_ machine. "When we are finished, you must clean your bathroom. If I see even a minuscule speck of dust, I will be forced to take drastic actions to further teach you both a lesson."

I thought of Bakugo practically bursting an artery if he came here, which made me a bit glad it was Shinso who was standing by my side, and happier that I wasn't dealing with this alone. Still, I was dismayed at the thought of even stepping foot into that bathroom again. While it would be nice to have a clean facility, the amount of dirt and grime it carried made my head spin. Perhaps I had gotten too used to my privileged lifestyle.

"Wait—" Shinso said, snapping me back into reality. "Finish with what?"

I noticed the expression on both Bubble Girl and Togata-senpai's faces change, which made me slightly afraid of what was to come. Without a word, as if he's practiced this, Sir Nighteye reached into his blazer and pulled out a small brown wooden stamp, holding it between his fingers.

"I want you both to try and take this stamp from me."

Shinso and I froze.

"Once we step outside, you have exactly five minutes."

Slowly, I turned to my classmate, our gazes meeting each other for the umpteenth time. I wasn't sure if we did this for the sake of comforting each other, but the look in Shinso's eyes was unmistakable.

_Can we do this?_

My lips curled up bitterly.

_Do we have a choice?_

* * *

**A/N:**

First and foremost: I'm so, so, _so_ sorry. It's been three months since I last updated and... I dunno. A lot has happened since we last saw each other. I got extremely busy, and then some personal stuff happened, and then... yeah. But then, I decided I've made you guys wait long enough, and again, I'm sorry for making you wait so long at all. Truthfully, I had burned myself out with so many stories and writing so much in short amounts of time. I ended up digging myself into a large writer's block, but when I looked back at this story, I knew I had to return to it.

We've reached _308_ favorites, _408_ follows, and _102_ reviews. That's... immense. I don't think any words can properly express you all, your support, and your patience. Thank you, thank you, sincerely. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I can't promise I'll have another update soon, but I'll certainly try my best. I just want you all to know that I have no intention of abandoning this story, no matter how long it takes. I'll see it to that end. That, I can promise. So again, thank you.

If you'd like to continue supporting me, I have another story posted called _Catch Perfect_, and it'd mean a lot if you guys could check that one out! Thank you, and I'll see you all next time!


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